PAST WINNER INTERVIEW
John Mason International
AWARD CATEGORY: International Trade SIZE OF COMPANY: SME WHERE BASED: Liverpool TYPE OF BUSINESS: Transportation /
International Removals
How did you find the application process?
What made John Mason apply for a King’s Award?
PROFILE:
Simon Hood
JOB TITLE:
Owner
Storytelling has been the unsung hero of our brand for years, and the application brought that to life. We saw how much the stories matter — to our team, to our clients, and now, to the judges. I remember one evening, finishing a section and just thinking: “Blimey — we’ve really built something special here.” It wasn’t pride in profits; it was pride in purpose.
2024 marked 140 years of John Mason - that kind of anniversary makes you reflect. You don’t last that long without doing something right, and it felt like the perfect moment to finally step forward and tell our story properly. What research did you do about the Awards/ application process? We looked at previous winners, dug into the judging criteria and spoke to a few businesses we respected. One thing stood out straight away; this isn’t a numbers game - it’s about storytelling. The judges wanted to understand who you are, not just what you do.
Company Background John Mason International has been helping people relocate their household belongings since 1884. From modest beginnings carrying out domestic moves by horse and cart, the company has grown to become specialists within the realm of international removals and overseas shipping Based in Liverpool with a warehouse in London, John Mason is now widely regarded as the industry’s go-to experts for relocating people overseas. Whether it’s families moving to Sydney, professionals heading out to Dubai, or retirees returning from Cape Town, the firm ships thousands of containers across the globe – as both imports and exports – annually. Working closely with relocation management companies, corporations and individuals, the company’s dedicated drivers, packers,‘Move Managers’and ops teams successfully move around 10,000 households with industry- leading diligence every year.
It was surprisingly emotional.
Did you learn anything about your own company during the process?
Absolutely. The big one was just how deep our import capability has become. People often think of us as a company that ships out but we’re also a trusted entry point back into the UK.
What planning did you do beforehand?
Did you engage other team members?
We mapped it out like a major client move. We had a team, a timeline, milestones, backups; the lot. The tricky bit was what to leave out. We’ve got enough stories to fill a book but the focus had to be tight: who we are now, what we’re achieving, and how we’re still putting people first after all these years.
Everyone was involved — from Michelle in Sales who’s been here for two decades, to Paul the driver who’s got more international miles than most pilots.
Paul, by the way, gave us one of the best lines
www. kingsawardsmagazine .com
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