STAFF made redundant in one of the town's biggest ever job culls are been re-employed by the former managing director of the company that let them go.
Mat makers Walk Off Mats relocated from Leighton to Middleton, in Manchester, in February 2005, with 120 people losing their jobs.
Neville De Sousa, managing director of Walk Off Mats at the time, left the company soon after, however, to open up a
new mat manufacturers in the town – Millennium Mats.
The company has been running for just over a year from their Commerce Way headquarters and it's all down to the old Walk Off Mats staff, according to Neville.
"Seventeen out of the 20 workers we have are from the old company," Neville told the Citizen.
"We are living off the success of Walk Off Mats because we had such a good reputation. It's not work that anyone could do either, these people are skilled and have a passion for mat making."
He admitted it was a hard time when the original owner sold up, but his connection with the staff was strong enough to draw him back.
"It was a heavy day when we had to shut down. There was Lancer Boss closing and Gossard too, so it was a devastating time for local business.
"When they announced they were moving away from Leighton Buzzard I knew my heart was with the workers and it's great to be able to re-employ some of the old staff and keep the old feeling going."
The company export mats around the world and, according to Neville, they already have a 15 per cent share of the
European market.
He believes they've outgrown their premises and is looking for Millennium Mats to carry on developing under the guidance of the old Walk Off Mats workers.
