Tony Burke, Unite assistant general secretary, told PrintWeek that the union is in talks with a potential purchaser and that this company has also been in contact with insolvency practitioner David Rubin & Partners.

Burke said: "The company that is in discussion over a potential purchase is a reputable business and is already within the UK print industry.

"It's indicating that it is looking to buy BemroseBooth as a going concern. Obviously, it is preferable that the talks are with a company that has an interest in the printing industry and one that will keep the company going."

Burke said he could not comment further at this time, but added that Unite was currently doing all it could for the staff at BemroseBooth.

Derby-based BemroseBooth filed a notice of intent to appoint an administrator at the High Court of Justice on 16 June.

At present, around 186 staff have been made redundant – most from its two closed Derby sites and 26 from its existing Hull plant. Unite has condemned the treatment of employees as "appalling".

David Stephenson, senior manager at David Rubin & Partners, said he understood that up to four separate parties were in talks with Edward Symmons, which is marketing the company, about making offers for the business as a going concern.

He said: "Those parties are in the process of obtaining information to help them decide whether to make a formal offer. There are already another eight parties who have expressed interest in buying either some assets or just small parts of the business. 

"That number grows each day. Naturally, everyone is concentrating first on discussions with the people wanting to buy the whole business as a going concern."

He added that it was not going to be a pre-pack sale, but added that the business needed to be sold in the near future.

"This is so that the remaining jobs are preserved and so that the customers have the comfort of knowing there is an ongoing business there to fulfil their orders. The administrators, when appointed, will keep the remaining business trading while those sale arrangements are completed."

David Rubin & Partners confirmed that on 18 June it had been approached by BemroseBooth, but confirmed to PrintWeek today (25 June) that it has not yet been appointed as an administrator.