A matter of principle
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Mini Clipper Logistics was founded on the ideals of providing a high-quality service while retaining the feel of a family-run firm. CM finds out if these principles still stand.
Words/Images: Dave Young Distribution specialist Mini Clipper Logistics is a self-described 'local company' based in Leighton Buzzard, but with a network that extends nationwide and across the Continent.
The firm is run by managing director Peter Masters and four fellow directors who, between them, have more than 125 years' collective road transport experience.
Established in 1971 as a 'man and van' operation --carrying fragile goods and small parcels by Peter Master's now-retired father, Mick, the enterprise currently has an annual turnover of Dm, posting 10% to 15% growth in recent years.
After taking a degree in business studies at Bristol University, Peter was first employed by United Carriers before joining Mini Clipper and working alongside his wife, sales director Jayne Masters, previously with Pandora Irish Sea and Dawson Rentals. Although Peter describes the business as "flexible in approach and led by customers': it was founded on some basic principles, such as an early decision to work from a single depot, close to where they lived.
"Stay local. grow profitability and retain staff," explains Jayne; and not having to commute to work while raising a family was also a bonus.
Leighton Buzzard is in a good strategic location — most customers are within a 50-mile radius — and it is well-placed to serve the East and West Midlands, including the vast array of distribution sheds around Milton Keynes, adjacent to the M1 and M25 and 35 miles north-west of London.
As a result of post-war government policy to relocate industry and housing from Watford and London, the immediate area has a wide variety of manufacturing concerns that provide a valuable customer base.
As Mini Clipper expanded, its vehicles roamed increasingly further around the UK. Fortunately, just at the point when the company was considering having to modify its original policy and develop a geographical spread of premises, pallet networks became established and Mini Clipper joined Pall-Ex.
Innovators
"We were early adopters, Pall-Ex works very well for us," says Peter, who sits on the members committee. To serve another emerging niche market the firm had identified by listening to customers, Mini Clipper also became a founder member of the ADR Hazchem Network.
Having gained national and international coverage, without major capital borrowing, Mini Clipper focused on specialist distribution, deliberately steering a course away from competitive, low-skill, low-margin general haulage and adding value to the transport task wherever possible. The core business (60%) is now the pallet network — based on LU.WD and AL postcodes —followed by warehousing and storage (25%) — this includes specialist product preparation and order fulfillment, often yielding additional haulage business and delivery and installation (15%).
Steady as she grows
Although there has occasionally been 'creative tensions' between the original business plan and quickly grasping opportunities as they've arisen, the current customer base has been built upon steady, organic growth.
Jayne believes she is "selling a firm with intrinsic value", but Mini Clipper is selective about new clients, "audi.t worthy, blue-chip firms we can grow with" (assiduously monitored by finance director Anna Hickmott).
Jayne continues: We have a good relationship with our bank, Barclays— its not just about money. but investing in the long-term to sustain people.
"This year has been a struggle with flat growth: we've seen a downturn from some clients and had the additional cost of the new HO (see panel on page 34), but it's worth it to grow the infrastructure of the business."
At a time when interest rates are low and commercial property prices plummeted, such an initiative clearly
A Mini Clipper runs a demonstrates how opportuniik,s present themselves,
mixed fleet including even in a recession.
MANS [pictured), Mini Clipper now has 100 employees. 30 trucks, 15 Mercedes-Benz and trailers and a 15,000-pallet capacity for either long-term Scarrias or short-term storage on several sites, and aims to offer clients a "one-stop-logistics-shop. solving their problems," says Jayne. Other customers include DHL and Ceva. and Mini Clipper works with international hauliers, such as K&N and Rhenus in Europe. and a partner in Ireland — a growing market sector.
Kodak moment
It's no secret Kodak, based in Hemel Hempstead, is Mini Clipper's largest and most prestigious client, an achievement Mini Clipper is proud of since most of the reprographic giant's other carriers are multinationals. Mini Clipper's ADR capacity helped secure the work, but Peter admits: "Ten years ago, Kodak's analogue product volumes would have been out of our league."
However, Kodak is now producing fewer but digitallybased — products and serving different B2B markets, which are ideally suited to Mini Clipper's strengths.
Mini Clipper handles all of Kodak's UK cross-docking of product — this involves up to six tilt trailers a day from France and Holland, delivering goods onwards to RDCs and shops and recently winning a Europe-wide Kodak final-mile customer care award in recognition of its high standard of service.
"We're proactive at customer communication," reveals Jayne. "Being honest with customers is something we are very good at; we get lots of positive feedback."
To support these high service levels, Mini Clipper has been ISO 9001 2000-accredited for 10 years, and is also NVQ audited.
A large amount of thought. effort and investment has gone into creating sophisticated warehousing IT, including the latest software and warehouse stockmanagement systems to provide real-time customer inventory information.
-Once we've established an integrated data delivery link from a customer's own order system to ours, we really are bound together, exporting data ties in customers," says Jayne.
Customers are able to view live PODs for deliveries, and most now prefer to book online via the website.
Mini Clipper staff unload customer stock, palletise it and enter it direct into their inventory.
"Sterling Solutions systems have been selected for both traffic management and warehouse management systems: storage clients are now able to view their stock movements over the web," says Jayne. Additional Mini Clipper services include order picking and 'product reworks', such as changing barcode, pricing and packaging to suit different retail markets. They also provide stock holding and direct dispatch — anything from a padded envelope via parcel post to a full trailer load, although most Mini Clipper trucks operate on a shared-user basis to maximize payload.
E-fulfillment is a growth area: Amazon orders are dispatched daily on behalf of clients, and each customer has their own dedicated Mini Clipper warehouse team to make the most of detailed product knowledge.
Quality counts
"Our tenders may not be the cheapest, but we gain work in a market where quality is factored into the equation." claims Peter.
To maintain such high standards, ADR, HG V. Driver CPC, N'VO and specilic customer product training is key to staff development and career progression within the company. Mini Clipper claims that a low rate of employee 'churn' makes investment in skills all the more worthwhile, and there's a palpable spirit of inclusivity within the company. Temporary staff are frequently recruited to permanent positions, and Mini Clipper's overall employee profile is of an older demographic, bringing the benefits of experience and maturity.
Drivers provide valuable sales leads, and, reciprocally, employees get a bonus and a hamper at Christmas. In addition, the company provides support to those who want to show off their lorries at Truck lest.
Determinedly customer facing and making the best use of all assets, Mini Clipper appears well positioned for further expansion as the economy improves,.
Oh, and if you were still wondering about the frankly confusing company name, think Clipper as in C'utty Sark — an express-delivery sailing ship — rather than hair cutting or, even worse, an accessory from a poodle parlour. •