Media Hub

Industry insights, company news and team happenings. Stay in the loop with all the team at Distribution House.
Contact MarketingGallery

Our top truckin' tracks. What we're currently listening to...

! missing alt!
IndustryInsight

Palletline and the 'Hub and Spoke' Revolution

The introduction of the 'Hub and Spoke' pallet distribution model in the early 90s ushered in a new era for palletised freight delivery in the UK, and fundamentally changed the way we transport goods. The model's concept revolves around centralising operations at a central hub and connecting various spokes to facilitate efficient and streamlined movement of goods to and from different locations. As one of the pioneering pallet networks in the country, our network partners Palletline , were among the first to introduce and popularise the Hub and Spoke model for pallet delivery. At its core, a pallet network consists of groups of professional hauliers, just like Browns. Together, they offer cost-effective delivery services, catering to businesses seeking to distribute goods across the UK and further afar. Browns joined the Palletline network way back in 1995! The hub and spoke model is as simple as it is clever. Hauliers collect pallets within their local areas (usually defined by postcode areas) and return them to their depot. From there, pallets destined for delivery outside their local area are consolidated and transported to the network's central hub. At the hub, pallets are sorted and redistributed onto delivery vehicles bound for their respective destinations, which will now be transported by the haulier responsible for the intended delivery area. Upon reaching the haulier's depot, pallets are ready for final delivery, ensuring seamless logistics operations from start to finish. This means that no matter where you send a pallet from, or to, Browns can use Palletline’s vast member network will get your goods to their destination, quickly, safely, and on schedule. As the most reliable network in the country, more than six thousand vehicles handle roughly 3.5 million pallets every single year – all of them with a total damage rate of just 0.01%. And, on top of this, Palletline operates with a multi-hub model, meaning broader geographical coverage, shorter transit times and greater flexibility when it comes to fluctuating demand and tackling peak periods. What benefits does the Hub and Spoke model bring? The hub and spoke model is renowned for its efficiency, making it a preferred choice for many distribution networks, us included. But what specific perks does it bring? Cost-effectiveness: Centralised hubs enable economies of scale in transportation and distribution, resulting in lower overall logistics costs like equipment and IT. Improved Service: The model allows for streamlined operations, leading to faster transit times and more reliable delivery schedules. Network Flexibility: Hubs can accommodate changes in volume and demand more effectively than point-to-point systems, offering greater adaptability to evolving business needs. Reduced Carbon Footprint: Consolidating shipments not reduces the number of vehicles on the road, but the number of miles they travel. Perfect for carbon-cutting. Palletline’s multi-hub model reduces annual mileage by 4.5 million! How Palletline Works: A Hub and Spoke Model Ready to see the hub and spoke model work for your business? Let's talk!

! missing alt!
Community

An eggs-traordinary response to our Easter mission. Thank you!

We had the pleasure of delivering hundreds of eggs to children and families across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire last week, as part of our first ever Easter egg appeal. We were proud to support 3 amazing charities; the Hubb Foundation , Alice Charity and the Gingerbread Centre , who dedicate themselves to supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged families in our local community. In total, we managed to collect over 250 eggs of all shapes and sizes along with hundreds of creme eggs, bunnies, bars and other chocolate goodies. Tom Armstrong, Marketing Executive said: "For our first charity appeal of this kind, we were overwhelmed by the response and generosity of our team and customers. There’s nothing quite like team spirit when uniting for a good cause, and we’re already looking forward to our next effort." A huge thank you to our friends at Churchill China (Helen Blackburn), Furlong Mills , Kaspa’s Desserts (Will Bowers) and the Trust Bruce Foundation for their generous support of our appeal. #TeamBrowns

! missing alt!
CompanyIndustry

UKWA to mark 80th Anniversary with visit to Distribution House

Browns Distribution is thrilled to be welcoming Clare Bottle, CEO of the UK Warehousing Association , to Distribution House in August, as the organisation commemorates its 80th anniversary with 80 site visits across the UK. The UK Warehousing Association is Britain's leading trade organisation for the warehousing industry, with Browns proudly being members since 2020. Around the Warehouses in 80 Visits is an ambitious quest to journey across the UK to highlight the essential role of warehouses in supply chains, the UK economy, and achieving net-zero goals. The campaign will raise public awareness, ensuring the sector is better appreciated by the government, media, and the public. Darren Simpson , Operations Director, said this: "We are delighted to welcome the UKWA team to our site, which we firmly believe sets a benchmark in our industry for efficiency, safety, and security. As we celebrate one year since the opening of Distribution House, we are thrilled to contribute to the ongoing efforts championing the warehousing industry, and the understated roles our fellow transport and warehousing operators play in keeping the country moving." As part of the visit, the Browns team will be fundraising for the Douglas Macmillan Hospice ‘Dougie Mac’, with the UKWA matching funds up to £80. Customers, local politicians and press representatives are invited to join us for the visit. Please email marketing@brownsgroup.co.uk for more information. #TheYearOfWarehousing #YOW2024

! missing alt!
Community

Browns' Easter Mission 2024

This Easter, we’re inviting our team, customers and local community to join us in an eggs-tra special mission to put smiles on children's (and grown-ups!) faces across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. We’re teaming up with 3 amazing charities to collect and distribute chocolate eggs to disadvantaged adults and children in our local area. We're hunting for eggs of all types, shapes, and sizes, and free-from varieties. If you'd like to support our appeal, please email marketing@brownsgroup.co.uk , or simply drop off your donation to Distribution House (main reception): Distribution House, Chemical Lane East, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 4FB before Friday 22nd March. Thank you, from team Browns. Proudly Supporting

! missing alt!
Industry

Say hello to Photo on Delivery: Palletline launches latest service

Original article from Palletline Palletline, the UK’s leading palletised freight delivery network, has launched an exciting new initiative which will provide Palletline members and its customers with even greater transparency. The new Photo-On-Delivery service, will place Palletline ahead of the market and on an equal footing with the UK parcels sector offering another layer of protection to member customers. The feature has been launched in response to an increased number of requests from Palletline member customers. The new Photo-On-Delivery service is being offered alongside its existing digital signature capture scheme to offer total peace of mind. Palletline member delivery teams will be able to use their existing handheld devices to capture photos of successfully completed deliveries. Available on most transport management systems it will give drivers the option to take one photo, or multiple images in case of discrepancies. Graham Leitch, Group Managing Director of Palletline, said: We are pleased to announce the launch of the new Photo on Delivery scheme and is one of a number of exciting new developments we have planned for the forthcoming year. Not only is the new service a demonstration of our ongoing investment in innovation coupled with our commitment to continue to push the boundaries ensuring both Palletline and its members provide a best-in-class service. The benefits will be far reaching adding value to both our members and their customers as well as further reinforcing our market leading position. #ThePowerOfPartnership

! missing alt!
Company

Palletline eyes latest innovation with next-generation tracking facilities

Our network freight distribution partners, Palletline , have launched their next-generation scanning system, Palleteyes - revolutionising the industry’s freight tracking capabilities. Integrated into Palletline’s new forklift truck fleet, Palleteyes utilises the latest in CCTV technology, wide-aspect barcode scanners and event processing to deliver the most advanced levels of visibility and traceability in the palletised freight industry. The £2M investment forms the latest part of Palletline's commitment to continuously improve and enhance its services through the development and implementation of cutting-edge innovations. As shareholder members of Palletline since 1995, Browns leverages network resources such as shared technology platforms and best practices, to optimise efficiency, transit times and rates, focussing on what truly matters for our customers. Palleteyes is already delivering improved levels of quality control, at the point of unload and reload, eliminating inaccurate scans, improving safety and speeding up sortation processes across its hubs by more than 15%. The system activates within two metres of a pallet, scanning the barcode and displaying important delivery information including bay location for the forklift driver. Simultaneously, two HD CCTV cameras are activated which record a close-up and wide angle video of the pallet’s entire journey from unload to bay to reload, giving members full visibility of their freight via a cloud-based portal. The system also integrates with the forklift’s onboard systems to monitor driver performance and operational productivity, and weighs each load, sounding an automated alarm to prevent drivers from lifting a pallet weighing more than 400kg above a height of 1.2m – in-line with the latest double-deck trailer loading guidelines from the DVSA, HSE and other regulatory bodies. David Brown Jnr, Browns Managing Director, said: We were fortunate to run a BETA phase on the Palleteyes project, and were blown away at the quality, innovation and most importantly, the positive customer response. Palletline are continuing to innovate and provide unique improvements and value, giving Browns customers enhanced peace of mind and faith in the quality and reliability of our service. Introducing Palleteyes How it works Interested in learning more about our network freight offering? Click here!

! missing alt!
Company

Switch to all-electric supports business growth for Browns

Original article from STILL Materials Handling UK When the time came to upgrade their materials handling equipment, choosing STILL was a clear-cut decision for the team at Browns Distribution. Serving all major industries, Browns Distribution has been providing customers with dependable, cost-effective transportation and storage of palletised goods for over seven decades. Moving into a brand new, £9 million, 75,000 square foot purpose-built distribution centre in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, Browns enjoy an Energy Performance Certificate rating of A, due to the reduction in the use of gas and heavy fossil fuels from the site infrastructure, together with the installation of solar panels. To complement the new facility’s green infrastructure, the team at Browns Distribution were looking for a materials handling solution which mirrored their sustainability practices but also retained the same, or higher levels of efficiency and safety than their current fleet. Having used STILL equipment for several years and impressed by their service response times and after-care, they reached out for a solution to replace their existing LPG trucks to an all-electric fleet, as part of their efforts to reduce their carbon output. The answer was STILL’s 2018 IFOY winner the RX 20 , an electric powered counterbalance truck of 2.0 tonnes capacity, in which independent tests carried out by F+H stated: “The practical operating time of the RX 20 is 80% to 133% longer, the energy consumption per 100 pallets is 29% to 38% percent lower, and the number of pallets handled in a shift - up to 430 - is 4% to 15% higher than average.” Browns are delighted with the trucks, David Brown Jnr, Managing Director at Browns Distribution commented “STILL possesses a solid understanding of our operational requirements. The units we have received are cleaner, greener, safer and more efficient, and have improved our warehousing operation in a crucial time of growth for the business. We would not hesitate to recommend STILL to any business looking for a new MHE partner, especially those looking to make the switch to electric units.” Luke Cobden, Warehouse Manager at Browns Distribution added, “STILL have considered every aspect of safety with the RX 20 units. The warning zone light is a particularly clever and crucial addition and compliments the rear warning light and reversing alarms to prevent collisions in complex areas and prioritise pedestrian and operator safety.” Additional features which have helped Browns Distribution maintain their commitment to safety include a Pre-Shift Check in the onboard computer which ensures a thorough safety assessment before each shift, this, together with the seat belt control system further enhances safety by automatically reducing speed when the cab door is open, and the operator is not buckled up. These features reflect STILL's commitment to creating a secure environment for operators.

! missing alt!
Company

Welcome Chris! Our New Finance Director

Browns Distribution are delighted to announce the arrival of our new Finance Director, Chris Robinson. Chris is an accomplished accounting professional with a 22-year financial background and extensive experience in corporate finance, management reporting, and audit. In his newly created role, Chris will lead Browns’ finance function; responsible for all aspects of finance including management reporting, processes, and strategy. Chris makes the switch to Browns following a 4 years in the waste management sector, where he led integration processes following a major acquisition, and joins at an exciting time for the company as we set our sights on distribution domination. On Chris’ arrival, Managing Director, David Brown Jnr had this to say: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Chris to our team. Chris brings an impressive background and a fresh perspective to our leadership team. His extensive experience will have a substantial impact at board level, and gives us so much to be excited about as we continue a period of change and growth.’ Chris’ arrival completes a quartet of senior leadership appointments in the last few months of 2023, with the arrival of Darren Simpson, Operations Director, Luke Nixon, Sales Manager, and Kerry Wood, Account Manager. In the last few weeks, Chris has worked closely with Group Management Accountant David Grocott, to assist in an effortless transition following the news of David's well-earned retirement. Welcome to #TeamBrowns, Chris!

! missing alt!
Insight

Stoke, Industry, and Browns: Stoke-on-Trent’s Rise to Rival the Golden Triangle

Stoke-on-Trent—a city renowned for its pottery prowess. It was in an unremarkable street in Tunstall where our story began, almost 70 years ago. Today, we’re cementing the next chapter of our Staffordshire story, with our sights firmly locked on logistics domination. If you’re from the Potteries, you’ll no doubt be well-versed in Staffordshire’s ceramic heritage, a history shaped—quite literally—by the hands of the working class. If you’re not from the region, you’ll probably still be aware of Stoke’s glorious past. Names like Wedgwood, Spode, and Minton will mean something to most of us. But is Stoke, steeped in its ceramics glory, heading towards a new age of industry notoriety? In the past decade, the number of premises dedicated to transport, logistics, and warehousing has almost doubled in the UK, according to the Office of National Statistics’ 2022 report. This dynamic growth in our industry has been driven by Brexit, changing trends in consumer behaviour (particularly the rise in online shopping), and the COVID-19 pandemic. Online shopping was a growing behaviour even before the pandemic. But the pandemic was a catalyst for rapid growth in this trend, and many shoppers have simply never looked back. The accessibility and convenience of online shopping are appealing, and supply chains had to adapt quickly and cleverly to cope. The transport and logistics sector has long been dominated—geographically—by the ‘Golden Logistics Triangle’. Its reach and connectivity make it an attractive place for warehousing and distribution companies to make base. Some consider the Golden Triangle the result of deindustrialisation of the Midlands away from mining and heavy industry, with logistics filling a large recruitment gap. This would make sense for Stoke too, as pottery production declined, and the need for new local employment rose. ‘The ‘Golden Logistics Triangle’—a term coined in the late 80s—is a 289 square mile section of the Midlands renowned for its high density of distribution facilities and being within a four-hour drive of 90% of the UK population.’ In 2011, Stoke placed 101st in the rankings for the percentage of business units used for transport and storage. In 2022, it ranked 19th. A handy geographic location, reliable transport networks, and the hard-working fabric of our people are clearly an attractive pull for many businesses looking for a transport and storage provider. An 82-place leap in a 10-year period shows clear confidence in the area and places the city in a competing position with the Golden Triangle. Stoke’s rise in the logistics sector doesn't just signify growth in numbers but reflects a city that is familiar with bridging tradition and innovation. Known historically for our pottery, our city has diversified and embraced the needs of a changing business landscape. Much like Stoke, the logistics industry itself has a fierce and innate pride for tradition and days gone by, but an equal instinct for innovation and progression. A perfect match, no?

  • a logo
  • a logo
  • a logo
  • a logo

This website uses cookies to improve our site & your experience. See our privacy policy.