A Co Antrim brick manufacturer employing 20 people at its factory in Toomebridge has been sold for an undisclosed sum. Northern Brick has been acquired by the building materials group Acheson & Glover as part of its takeover of a division of Redland Tile & Brick. As part of the deal, Acheson & Glover, which is based in Fivemiletown, Co Tyrone, has also taken over Redland Mortars at Castlereagh.

The chairman of Acheson & Glover, Mr Raymond Acheson, said Northern Brick, which became part of the Redland Group ten years ago, would retain its identity, and would continue to produce bricks, paving products, and mortar at its Toomebridge plant, supported by the operation in Castlereagh. Mr Acheson said the acquisition would increase the range of products made by the group, which include facing bricks, architectural masonry, landscape products, architectural and structural precast, and mortars. In addition to its new plants at Toomebridge and Castlereagh, the company also has factories in Fivemiletown, Dungannon, Magherafelt, Belcoo, and Pomeroy.