In 1985 both Edmundo Perez and Thomas Eggert were independent truck owner/operators contracted primarily with Airborne Express. They had a vision of one day forming their own transportation company to meet the challenges of the growing business sectors of San Diego, Los Angeles and Mexico. Thomas was married to Edmundo and Jessica Perez’s daughter, Diane. When these four multi-skilled, hard working, forward thinking individuals came together with their dream and a small pick-up and one 18 ft. bobtail truck, the M.A.T. Parcel Express management team was in place. The M.A.T. initials originally stood for Mundo, Allen, and Tom. Allen Page was initially a short-term investor.

As both Mundo and Tom continued their owner-operator jobs to support their families, mother, Jessica, and daughter, Diane, opened and ran the operations of the first M.A.T. Parcel Express 1800 sq. ft. shipping office on Arjons Street in the Miramar area. Miramar was chosen as the geographical center point to serve all of San Diego. All agreed wholeheartedly that their company motto should be, “Service is all we have to sell.” With Solar Turbines and Hybritech-Beckman as customers, the team had a viable chance to prove their commitment of meeting their customers’ needs with reliable, attention-to-detail service.

Business grew so rapidly that in less than two years M.A.T. Parcel Express moved to a larger and more modern facility on Trade Street in the Miramar area. In 1986 with 5,000 sq. ft. and eight trucks, the company now changed from hourly to an owner/operator system. As the company added new customers with varied challenges, Mundo, Tom, Jessica and Diane found the answers, purchased the equipment and made decisions to continue to grow the business.

In 1990 both Mundo and Tom joined Jessica and Diane in running the business full time. With their customer list increasing rapidly to include companies such as Beebas Creations, Boom Club, Quidel, Rohr Industries, Teledyne Ryan, US Air and other high profile businesses, M.A.T. once again moved to a larger facility on Pacific Center Boulevard. Whether it was a medical emergency or an airplane that needed a crucial part, M.A.T. Parcel Express continued to solidify their reputation of total service and consistent reliability.

It soon became apparent that additional locations in Los Angeles and Imperial Valley would be necessary to meet the exacting demands of the industry. These offices opened in 1989 for Los Angeles and 1990 for Imperial Valley.

In addition to pick-up and delivery transportation services, the company founders understood the importance of offering specialized services. Specialized services commanded the need for more space, bonded, secured space. Today more than ever this demand rings true. The firm offers warehousing, distribution, cross border and Maquiladora services, G.O.H. transfers, hazardous material transport, with an inbond licensed customs broker on staff. All of the above dictated that M.A.T. Parcel Express move to its current 18,000 sq. ft. corporate headquarters location at 2719 Kurtz Street, Suite C, just minutes from Interstate 5 and San Diego’s airport facility Lindbergh Field.

Since shipments often exceeded 10,000 lbs., the name M.A.T. Parcel Express no longer suited the company’s true reputation of providing door-to-door, hand-delivered shipments to oversize permit loads. 1999 saw the periods after the founders initials deleted, and the word “Parcel” dropped from the name. A strong identifiable logo was completed and was soon to be seen on trucks across the state of California. MAT Express produced corporate identity materials and registered the slogan – When time makes a difference.™ Freight brokers, shippers and consignees can count on MAT Express 365 days a year – 7 days a week – 24 hours a day.

Father and father-in-law, Edmundo, passed away in 1998. His wife, Jessica has retired. Tom and Diane’s son, Matthew, has joined the company as Vice President. The owners are proud to be locally family owned and operated. They understand the importance of instilling in the minds of their drivers and employees/contractors their original 1985 philosophy of “Service is all we have to sell.”