THE FOUNDER of one of Bedfordshire’s leading logistics companies has died.
Miniclipper Logistics has announced that Mick Masters passed way earlier this month after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. He was 83.
Mr Masters founded the business in 1971 by responding to a newspaper advert in the Leighton Buzzard Observer for someone to develop a parcel delivery service doing daily runs between Bedfordshire and London.
He bought a VW van and Miniclipper was born. The business and fleet grew steadily during the 1970s and 1980s, built on a foundation of strong customer service led by Mick and supported by his wife Janet, who managed the administration as well as driving one of the company’s vans.
Miniclipper has grown to occupy 450,000 sq ft of storage and more than 38,000 pallet spaces across its five sites in Leighton Buzzard, Houghton Regis and Dunstable. Its fleet comprises 40 trucks and 30 trailers.
The company employs 140 staff, many of whom have been with the business for many years.
Mr Masters’ son Peter took over as managing director in 1995 and daughter-in-law Jayne was appointed as sales director with Mr Masters officially retiring in 2005.
“Mick was proud to see Miniclipper reach its 50th birthday in 2021 still as a family business just as the third generation of Masters joined the team,” the company said.
Mr Masters’ funeral will take place on March 23 in the Oak Chapel, Crownhill Crematorium at 12.15pm. Donations in memory of Mick for Alzheimer’s Research UK are welcome and can be made at www.hwmason.co.uk.
