John Mason International Movers Celebrates King’s Award Amidst a Story of Remarkable Transformation and Financial Success
Announced today, (Monday 6th May), John Mason International, one of the UK’s premier international moving companies based in Liverpool, has been awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of its outstanding service in international trade.
His Majesty the King has approved the Prime Minister’s recommendation that John Mason International should receive this award, a tremendous achievement for the 140-year-old Huyton based company.
Founded in 1884 by Mary Mason with just a horse and cart, the company initially delivered coal across the city of Liverpool. Today, John Mason International moves over 10,000 people each year to destinations such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the USA, and the Middle East. This award celebrates John Mason International’s extraordinary evolution from humble beginnings to orchestrating over one million moves.
As the most prestigious accolade for UK businesses, it places John Mason International among a select group of enterprises that have received this royal recognition since the inception of the awards in 1965.
In 2021, Simon Hood completed a true rags-to-riches story when he acquired John Mason International via a management buy-out (MBO). Taking the reins from the Mason family, Simon, who had an upbringing marked by hardship similar to the company’s founder Mary Mason, overcame significant personal challenges. He grew up facing financial hardships, often helping his mother pick potatoes to buy school shoes for his older brothers after his father’s death at age 5. Despite these challenges and a speech impediment that required special education, Simon’s resilience and vision have propelled the company to remarkable financial growth amid global challenges.
Under his leadership in just 3 years both turnover and overseas sales have more than doubled. Turnover skyrocketed from £6.6 million in 2020 to £13.5 million by 2022.
Simultaneously, overseas sales surged from £5.6 million in 2020 to £12.3 million in 2022, significantly expanding the company’s global footprint.
Simon Hood, Owner, and Executive Director, reflected on the award, stating,
“Receiving the King’s Award for Enterprise is not just recognition of our global excellence but also a celebration of our deep local roots and the enduring spirit that has driven our company. It’s a testament to our journey—from Mary Mason’s humble beginnings with a horse and cart to now moving over 10,000 people around the world each year. From Coal Dust to King’s Gold, the story of John Mason International is truly a fairy tale. When I purchased the company in the midst of a global pandemic, if you had told me then that just three years later, we would be winning the UK’s most prestigious business awards, I would have never believed you. My four-year-old daughter, who loves Disney and is fascinated by kings and queens, can’t believe her Daddy is going to meet a real-life king!”
The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed last year to reflect His Majesty the King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognising outstanding UK businesses. The Award programme, now in its 58th year, is the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years.