Readymix chairman Mr Martin Rafferty has not ruled out the sale of the company, which recently rebuffed a take offer offer from rival Kilsaran Concrete

However, he told the companies annual general meeting that any sale would have to be in the interest of all shareholders, not just RMC plc which owns 63 per cent of the company. RMC is currently under pressure to cut its debts.

"I can assure you that as long as I am chairman of this company, I will act in the best interests of all the shareholders," he said. The Kilsaran approach was an opportunistic effort to get Readymix on the cheap, he said.

Mr Rafferty said the board was surprised at the nature "of what was an unsolicited, hostile approach."