Moving Distribution Forward
Supply Chain Experts for Staffordshire & Beyond - Driving Industry Innovation

Join smart businesses making the switch to fast, reliable pallet transport and warehousing that works for you.

We're a family-run transport company that's been around for three generations.

Our award-winning team knows every trick in the book when it comes to keeping your supply chain running like clockwork. That’s why so many businesses across Staffordshire trust us to get the job done. 

Looking for a logistics partner you can count on? One that’s got clever tracking and real, helpful customer support? You’re in the right place!

Three Browns trucks on a misty winter morning.

Moving Distribution Forward

What we do

With 70 years of experience under our belt, we know a thing or two about keeping your supply chain in check. From warehousing to transport, we’ve got the services you need to tackle any logistics challenge that comes your way. Whatever the load, whatever the road.

Truckloads (FTL)

Reliable and cost-effective pallet transport for full truckloads across the UK and Ireland. No fuss, no hassle - just your goods where they need to be, on time and within budget.

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Part Loads (LTL)

Quick and reliable transport for smaller loads across the UK. With our cost-effective grouping of loads, you save money while we get your goods moving, fast and hassle-free.

Get a Quote

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Pallet Network

Next-day UK delivery and economy services to over 29 European countries, including inbound freight to Amazon. Whether urgent or no rush, we’ve got your pallets covered.

See How It Works

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Warehousing & Storage

An end-to-end warehousing solution and BRCGS 'AA' accredited pallet storage.

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You can count on us for a customer service experience that’s genuinely personal. Real people, ready to help whenever you need it.

Our team knows the transport industry inside out. With plenty of hands-on experience, we’re here to make your life easier, ensuring smooth deliveries that meet your needs and keep your customers smiling.

Super-fast Resolutions

Record response and resolution times.

Account Managers

Online, email and telephone support from 6am-10pm.

On-the-go Tracking

SMS updates, photo PODs and app tracking.

Performance Reporting

Monthly KPI reporting and regular SLA monitoring.

Track your goods with with total peace of mind

From start to finish, you’ll have full visibility of your consignments with real-time SMS updates, 2-hour delivery windows and photo proof of delivery. 

And when you're on the move, our mobile app lets you keep tabs on your deliveries with just a few taps.

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Latest news and updates

Stay in the loop with all the goings on at Browns HQ!

Company

Easter Weekend Schedule

With Easter just around the corner, we've put together our schedule so you can plan ahead. Avoid delays, service hiccups, and those awkward conversations by getting ahead of the rush. We all know supply chains can be unpredictable, and challenges have a habit of cropping up when you least expect them. If you're expecting a surge in freight volumes, need extra collections, or have changes to your usual freight types, please let us know. Wishing you a relaxing and enjoyable Easter weekend from all of us at Browns! Click here to view and download our full schedule and delivery times.

Company

Celebrating 70 Years: Our story so far...

From a single van delivering school meals and potteryware to a nationwide distribution powerhouse, Browns Distribution has come a long way. As we celebrate 70 years of service, let’s take a journey through our history, filled with hard work, growth, and family values that continue to drive us forward. 1955: A Humble Beginning Browns Distribution was founded in 1955 by Albert Brown, an ex-Army corporal with a strong work ethic. After demobilisation, Albert took on a job as a driver before seizing the opportunity to buy his own van and B licence. What started as a one-man operation quickly expanded, as Albert took on more carriage work, particularly from the pottery industry. His wife, Mrs Dorothy Brown, left her grocery store business to help run the company, turning it into a true family operation. February 1965: Official Incorporation and Expansion We hit a major milestone in 1965 as Browns was officially incorporated as a limited company, A. Brown (Tunstall) Limited. At the same time, the company opened a brand-new storage depot and garage on Connaught Street, Tunstall, further cementing our growth and commitment to service. 1985-1986: ‘We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat’ Thirty years in, Browns company had outgrown our original home. In 1985, we moved to a larger site in Ravensdale, providing the space needed for expansion. Just a year later, another major transition took place when David Brown Snr took the reins as Managing Director, ensuring the Browns legacy stayed within the family. Browns also became the primary shirt sponsor for Port Vale FC for the 1986/87 season. Under manager John Rudge, Vale finished twelfth in the table with 57 points, twelve points clear of relegation. Andy Jones had an incredible season, scoring 37 goals in all competitions. 1993: A New Name for a New Era Growth demanded a fresh identity. In 1993, A Brown (Tunstall) Limited officially became Browns Distribution Services Limited. The rebrand reflected our ambition and growing national presence, solidifying our place in the UK’s logistics industry. 1995: The Power of Partnership Browns turned 40 in 1995, and with it came an exciting opportunity - becoming a shareholder member of Palletline, the UK’s first and leading pallet network. This partnership changed the game for palletised distribution, allowing us to offer even greater efficiency and nationwide reach. 2007-2011: The Third Generation By 2007, David Brown Jnr had worked his way through just about every role in the business! So in 2011, he stepped up as Managing Director, bringing fresh ideas and a modern approach to the company. His father, David Snr, became Chairman, and the transition marked the beginning of Browns' third generation of leadership. 2015-2016: A Milestone Celebration and Industry Recognition In 2015, we hit a milestone worth celebrating - our 60th anniversary! To mark the occasion, we invested in our first-ever Scania vehicles, featuring a special anniversary livery. A symbol of both our legacy and our drive to keep moving forward. 2016 was also a year of achievements! Browns was named a finalist in the Motor Transport Haulier of the Year and Customer Care Awards, further cementing our reputation for outstanding service, and in the same year, David Brown Jnr was named Sentinel Young Business Person of the Year. 2017: Building for the Future January 2017 saw the opening of our brand-new warehouse, enhancing key services like Pallet Storage, Pick and Pack, Fulfilment, and eCommerce. With our Warehouse Manager Luke Cobden at the helm, our warehouse operations were ready to reach new heights. 2019-2020: A Digital Leap Forward In 2019, we launched a brand-new website, reflecting our modern approach to logistics. But that wasn’t all - plans were submitted for a state-of-the-art, purpose-built distribution centre, a huge step forward in our long-term vision. And always looking for ways to enhance our service, in 2020 we introduced Moffett mounted forklift trucks, adding flexibility and efficiency to our logistics solutions. 2023: A New Dawn In February 2023, we marked arguably our biggest milestone yet, as Distribution House officially opened its doors. The 87,000 sq. ft warehouse and office complex in Staffordshire was a major step forward for the company, expanding our storage and distribution capabilities with 13,000 racked pallet spaces and modern dock leveller facilities. The site was designed with sustainability in mind, featuring a Solar PV system and a fleet of 100% electric forklifts, helping us reduce our carbon footprint as we work towards greater environmental efficiency. And in May, we unveiled a brand-new livery design to reflect our modern identity, aligning with our investment of £2.2 million into our fleet. 2024: Awards & Industry Recognition March 2024 saw us achieve AA accreditation to the BRCGS Storage & Distribution Standard - the highest possible announced audit status, recognising our excellence in warehouse safety, product integrity, and operational best practices. In June 2024, we welcomed the Secretary of State for Transport to Distribution House for a site tour, where we discussed key industry challenges, including greater clarity on Direct Vision Standard (DVS) requirements and support, reviewing driver licence acquisition and addressing the poor standard of driver facilities across the UK. David Brown Senior won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Staffordshire University Business Awards, while Browns was named runner-up in the Business of the Year category. At the UKWA Awards for Excellence, Browns was highly commended as Logistics Service Provider of the Year. We were also finalists in the Motor Transport Awards for the second year running and won the Commercial Growth Award at Palletline’s annual awards. And now, we prepare to celebrate our 70th anniversary. From humble beginnings to a leading force in logistics, Browns Distribution remains built on family values, quality service, and dedication to getting the job done right. Looking for a Trusted Logistics Partner? If you’re looking for reliable, nationwide pallet distribution and warehousing solutions, get in touch with Browns Distribution today.

Industry

A Year Of Innovation For Palletline

Originally published by UK Haulier, Friday 14th Feb 2025. Palletline , the UK’s leading palletised freight distribution network, has further reinforced its market position with the introduction of a host of innovations which are reaping dividends across the network for both members and their customers. Established as the UK’s first pallet network in 1992, Palletline has since been at the forefront of innovation, setting a benchmark for other networks to follow. However, in the past 12 months it has surpassed all others leading the way with the development of a range of solutions to provide a level of visibility and service that is both unique and unmatched in the marketplace. At the vanguard of recent innovations is Palleteyes – the industry’s first forklift-mounted CCTV and scanning system. Palleteyes is a development that has revolutionised the palletised freight sector, delivering the most advanced levels of visibility and traceability in the industry and in turn improving Palletline’s efficiency and hub capacity. The culmination of a £2 million investment, Palleteyes is a game-changing solution which is the most progressive of its kind, setting the bar for technology not just within the pallet network sector but across the logistics industry. Integrated into the company’s forklift truck fleet, Palleteyes utilises the latest advances in CCTV technology, wide-aspect barcode scanners and event processing to deliver the most advanced levels of visibility and traceability in the palletised freight sector. The outcome is improved levels of quality control at the point of unload and reload, with inaccurate scans eliminated, enhanced safety and an improvement in sortation efficiency of more than 15%. Activating within two metres of a pallet, the state-of-the-art system scans a barcode and displays important delivery information including bay location for the forklift driver. Simultaneously, two HD CCTV cameras are activated recording a close-up and wide-angle video of the pallet from unload to bay to reload – giving network members full visibility of their freight at all times 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. Another technological development, Palletline’s Photo-On-Delivery service, was also launched, placing the network on an equal footing with the more technologically advanced parcels sector and offering more transparency and protection to customers. Operating alongside Palletline’s digital signature capture process, Photo-On-Delivery allows the network’s delivery teams to use their existing handheld devices to capture photos of successfully completed deliveries. Compatible with transport management systems, drivers have the option of taking one or more photos in case of discrepancies. Members across the network are reporting improved efficiency and visibility across their operations as well as new business wins as a result of this latest advanced technology. Gina Helm, Business and Operations Manager of Palletline member Anglia Freight said: “The launch of Palleteyes and Photo-On-Delivery has been a real game-changer for us and our customers. “Not only does it give us significantly enhanced layers of visibility of the freight we’re sending through the Palletline network, but our customers have total peace of mind, knowing their valuable goods can be fully tracked, with on-board forklift CCTV or photographic evidence, at every stage of a consignments journey through the network. “It has not only contributed to our customer retention but has also proved to be a unique selling point that is attracting new customers to our business.” Similarly, Carl Hepworth, Palletline Supervisor at member Expect Distribution said: “The introduction of Palleteyes has been really valuable within our operation, becoming the go-to tool for quick and accurate query resolution. “Plus, we’ve fully integrated the Photo-On-Delivery service into our own standard processes. It has had the added benefit of improving our service to private addresses too, enabling us to deliver to a customer’s pre-agreed secure location, which ultimately reduces the need for redelivery services and gives our customers complete peace of mind.” Palletline Group CEO Graham Leitch said the latest developments are part of Palletline’s programme of innovation as the network maintains its position at the forefront of the palletised freight sector. He said: “The volatility we have seen within our sector over the past 12 months has been unprecedented and therefore maintaining a competitive edge has never been so important. “The benefits of our new initiatives have and will continue to be far reaching, not just to the advantage of our members but also to their customers. “Here at Palletline we pride ourselves on our commitment to pushing the boundaries, ensuring that we remain ahead of our competitors and provide a best-in-class service unmatched by other networks in the industry.” To further extend its offering and provide its members with additional service flexibility, Palletline launched its brand-new Half+ pallet, providing value-for-money for customers who need to transport pallets of up to 1.8 metres in height and 500kgs in weight. Designed for B2B customers, the Half+ pallet meets the needs of retailers and e-commerce brands and is ideally suited for regional and nationwide distribution environments.

Finalists at the Motor Transport Awards 2016, 2023, 2024.
Finalists at the Logistics UK Awards 2024.
Highly Commended at the UKWA Awards for Excellence 2023, 2024.

Browns' online digital signature, POD availability, and driver location facilities have become important features in our customer service. Enabling quicker query response times, they improve our customer service and time efficiency, which in today's competitive markets is vital for custom retention.

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Logistics Director
Altrad Belle
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