Receivers at the west Belfast engineering firm Mackies, which went into receivership last week, are continuing to seek buyers for the business - either as a unit or in parts. Late last week they announced that 57 job were to be cut from its staff of nearly 250 people. Asked about whether there would be further layoffs, a spokesman would only say yesterday that the situation would be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

The receivers from Deloitte & Touche were called in after management at the company were unable to raise enough cash to buy a UK company, an acquisition which was judged to be essential to Mackies ability to secure additional business. While the receivers have said that they would like to sell the company as a going concern, they have also warned that if no single buyer is found, the company's assets, which include millions of pounds worth of modern plant and equipment, will be sold off in a series of packages.