The administrative receiver for Donside Paper Company is talking to "seven or eight interested parties" about the possible sale of the business.


"We had nearly 30 expressions of interest, and that has now been reduced to seven or eight who are actively pursuing it," said Iain Bennett, joint receiver and partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).


"Within the next 10 days we anticipate inviting bids with the aim of achieving a sale of the business by early February," he added.


The mill is back in full production, although 113 staff were made redundant at the end of last year.


Donside appointed PWC as administrative receiver in December (PrintWeek, 15 December 2000) following a troubled period, during which Premier Paper started legal action against the Aberdeen firm.


Chief executive Bill Gore also stepped down after putting together a re-financing proposal.