A Festive Message from the MD...
Merry Christmas, from all the team at Browns!
As we approach the festive season, I wanted to take a brief moment to check in, give some thanks, and reflect on an amazing year at Browns Distribution.
It's been a year of many 'firsts' for the Browns team. Reflecting on the first year in our brand new home, Distribution House, allows me to feel truly grateful for everything 2023 has given our team.
In recent months we've excitedly welcomed new faces to our senior leadership team in Darren, Luke and Kerry, and made huge investments into our marketing, processes and fleet.
We've developed a new website, designed a new livery, introduced new vehicles to our fleet, and been recognised among the very best of our industry at the Motor Transport awards.
But 2023, a year of triumphs, has not been without its challenges. So I'd like to say a huge thank you to our team for how we have overcome these challenges, and often, reversed negatives into positives. I'd also like to pay thanks to our many industry friends, the community we work in, and our loyal customers, for being a part of this journey.
We have no plans to slow down our momentum into the new year, and I'm excited to be able to share details on more additions to our board and leadership team in the coming weeks, and finally reveal that we're well into our journey to BRCGS accreditation, the next level in quality assurance and efficiency for our warehousing operations. More on this later!
For now, all that's left to do is wish you and your loved ones a joyous festive period, and a New Year that brings good health and prosperity.
Warmest Regards,
David Brown Jnr
Managing Director
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Browns lands £1m deal as bespoke TMS goes live
Originally published in Motor Transport page 4, September 2026. Stoke operator expands contract logistics arm with dedicated truck fleet. Browns Distribution has developed a bespoke transport management system (TMS) alongside securing a contract logistics deal worth more than £1m a year. The Stoke-on-Trent operator has launched Touchbase, a platform developed by its in-house software team and designed around the requirements of pallet distribution. Unlike an off-the-shelf TMS, Touchbase was built using Browns’ operational experience and was developed in response to customer feedback and changing requirements. The system connects customers, drivers, warehouse teams and operational staff through a single digital platform, providing a live view of consignments throughout the pallet journey. Customers can use a self-service portal for bookings, tracking, invoicing, reporting and account management, with processes including API integration, bulk imports and reusable booking presets designed to reduce administration. The technology investment comes as Browns expands its contract logistics operation with a partnership with a Staffordshire manufacturer of commercial warewashing equipment. The deal will see Browns operate a dedicated fleet of dual-liveried vehicles and drivers to handle palletised freight and specialist deliveries across the UK and Ireland. Browns said it had developed a bespoke solution combining dedicated fleet operations, specialist handling and its pallet network capability. The arrangement is intended to allow the manufacturer to manage different freight and delivery requirements through a single logistics provider, supported by dedicated account management and shared operational visibility. The contract adds to Browns’ expanding contract logistics portfolio as customers seek managed transport solutions.
A New Chapter Begins at Browns
Introducing Touchbase, our new Transport Management System Every major investment Browns has made over the past few years has been driven by the same ambition: to make our business stronger, our service better and our customers more successful. That ambition has shaped the way we've invested in our people, our fleet and our facilities. It has challenged us to continually improve the way we work and look beyond today's requirements, building a business that's ready for tomorrow. Today, we're proud to introduce our biggest technology investment yet. Meet Touchbase, the new Transport Management System built by us, for you. Developed entirely by our in-house team, Touchbase brings customers, drivers, warehouse teams and operations together through one connected technology platform, supporting the movement of freight from booking through to final delivery. Built around the way we move freight Transport Management Systems sit at the heart of modern logistics operations. They connect the people, processes and information required to get freight where it needs to go. But as Browns has grown, so have the requirements of our operation and our customers. We wanted technology that could support the full breadth of our operation while giving us the freedom to shape how it develops as Browns grows. Rather than adapting our business to fit an off-the-shelf TMS, we decided to build our own. Touchbase has been engineered from the ground up using decades of operational experience in pallet distribution and the knowledge of the people who work with our customers and move their freight every day. It has also been built to connect the different services we provide. Whether we're moving a consignment through the pallet network, on our general haulage fleet, as a full load or as part of a contract logistics operation, Touchbase brings the information together within one platform. One system. One live operational picture. Connecting every stage of the freight journey Touchbase isn't a single application. It's a technology platform that connects our customers, drivers, warehouse teams and operational colleagues, with dedicated applications supporting each stage of the freight journey. From collection through to final delivery, information can flow between each part of the operation as it happens. Touchbase can capture and share live information including collection confirmation, photographs at collection and delivery, delivery ETAs, dynamic tracking, status updates and proof of delivery. For customers, that creates the kind of courier-level visibility we've all become accustomed to when tracking everyday deliveries, applied to the movement of commercial freight. For our teams, it means working from the same live information throughout the operation. The result is a more connected and informed service, with fewer gaps between what happens on the road, in the warehouse, within our operation and what our customers can see. Built by Browns Creating Touchbase represents a major investment in the future of Browns. Owning our technology gives us far greater control over how it develops. Instead of waiting for a third-party system to introduce a feature or change the way something works, our development can be driven directly by operational insight and customer feedback. When our customers' requirements change, Touchbase can change with them. When our teams identify a better way of working, we have the ability to build it. And when new opportunities emerge to connect systems, automate processes or share better information, we have a platform ready to support them. "Touchbase represents far more than a new piece of technology. It's a major investment in the future of Browns and in the service we provide our customers every day. Developing our own Transport Management System gives us the freedom to innovate faster, respond directly to customer feedback and continue improving the way we operate. This is a significant milestone for our business, and we're incredibly proud of what our team has created." David Brown Jnr, Managing Director Introducing the Touchbase Customer Portal At the heart of the Touchbase experience for our customers, is the Customer Portal, bringing the capabilities of our new TMS directly into their hands. Rather than simply replacing our previous portal, we've taken the opportunity to rethink the experience from the ground up. Booking, tracking, invoicing, reporting and account management now sit within a single environment, giving customers greater visibility, more control and quicker access to the information they need. The result is a fully self-service environment where customers can access live pricing, book freight, track consignments, retrieve documents, run reports and manage their account from one place. From a single login, customers can: Get instant prices and book freight in seconds , with live pricing across our range of transport services. Manage more of their logistics in one place , with pallet network, general haulage, full loads and contract logistics brought together within one connected environment. Know where their freight is and when it's arriving, with dynamic tracking, live status updates, two-hour delivery windows, ETAs and notifications. See what's happening at collection and delivery , with photographs providing a visual record at both ends of the consignment journey. Find important documents without having to chase for them, with instant access to invoices, proof of delivery, rates and account information. Give the right people the right level of access , with user and permission management across their organisation. Spend less time on repetitive administration , using reusable booking presets, bulk imports, scheduled bookings and API integration. Turn live information into greater visibility , with reporting and operational data available across their account. For customers processing larger or more frequent volumes, Touchbase can automate routine processes through API integrations and bulk imports, reducing manual administration while maintaining live visibility across every consignment. And the experience doesn't stop when a booking is submitted. Touchbase connects what the customer sees with the applications being used by Browns drivers, warehouse teams and operational colleagues. As a consignment progresses, information captured throughout the operation can feed back into the same system, creating a continuous digital record from collection through to delivery. For our customers, that means less chasing for updates, fewer disconnected systems and much greater visibility over what's happening with their freight. Putting our data to work with AI AI has been embedded into Touchbase from the very beginning, working behind the scenes across millions of operational data points to automate time-consuming tasks, speed up processes and help our teams get to the information they need faster. One example is document matching. When proof of delivery, customer paperwork, driver manifests and other documents enter the system, AI-powered vision technology can read and understand them, identify the relevant consignments and automatically associate the documents with the correct jobs. What previously required someone to work through paperwork and manually match documents can now happen automatically. We're also introducing Sidekick , our internal AI assistant built directly into Touchbase. Colleagues can ask Sidekick questions about jobs, loads and other operational information and get answers using the live data already held within the platform. It can also help with tasks such as setting reminders, giving our teams a quicker and more natural way to interact with the information they use every day. With millions of data points flowing through Touchbase, AI gives us new ways to put that information to work. Rather than replacing the people behind our service, we're using it to take care of repetitive administration, reduce manual work and give our teams more time to focus on customers and moving freight. What comes next As we enter this next chapter, it's also an opportunity to reflect on the partnerships that have helped us get here. We'd like to thank everyone at HaulTech for their support over many years. Their software has played an important role in Browns' growth, and we've valued the relationship we've built along the way. As our technology strategy evolves, we wish the entire HaulTech team every success for the future as they continue supporting transport businesses across the industry. Touchbase represents the next step for Browns. For the first time, we have a technology platform developed around our own operation, shaped by decades of experience and built with our customers at its heart. It's a big change, but one that gives us greater control over how our technology develops alongside the business. And, much like Browns itself, Touchbase won't stand still. We'll continue developing it, learning from our customers and our team, and building technology that helps us deliver a better logistics experience for the years ahead.
Class 1 Drivers Wanted: Join Browns as we Continue to Grow
Browns Distribution is growing, and we’re looking for experienced Class 1 HGV drivers to join us for the journey. New contract wins, continued business growth and the launch of new systems across the operation mean there’s plenty happening at Browns. As our customer base and transport requirements continue to expand, we’re strengthening our driving team with more Class 1 drivers. But we know choosing your next driving job isn’t just about finding another set of keys. It’s about how you’re treated once you have them. Trusted to get on with the job One thing that comes through again and again in feedback from our drivers is how much they value being trusted to do their job without constantly being chased. Professional drivers know their role. They don’t need somebody ringing every few minutes asking where they are or pushing them from one drop to the next. At Browns, our planners give drivers a clear plan for the day and trust them to get on with it. As one driver put it: “All round good company to work for, pays decent hours, good planning, you don't get called up every 5 minutes, you're left to do the work that's planned for you.” Another said: “Decent company, new trucks, pretty much left alone by the office staff to focus on your day. Not chasing you up.” That doesn't mean drivers are left without support. When something does go wrong, the transport team is there to help. That balance is important to us: giving experienced drivers the freedom to manage their day, while making sure the office is there when they genuinely need support. As Browns grows, maintaining that sense of trust, respect and accessibility remains important to us. Investing in our drivers and fleet Growth at Browns is being supported by continued investment across the business. Our drivers have regularly commented positively on new trucks, trailers and the standard of the fleet. Since 2023, Browns has invested £5.6 million in its fleet, adding more than 30 new tractor units and over 40 new trailers. Drivers joining Browns can expect their own allocated modern truck rather than swapping between vehicles, with our fleet including Scania, MAN and Mercedes trucks. Every cab comes with a fridge and microwave, helping to make life on the road that little bit more comfortable. We’ve invested in the technology our drivers use on the road too. Our new driver app keeps upcoming jobs clear, reduces paperwork and sends job changes straight to the driver’s device, helping to make the working day simpler. We're also continuing to invest in the people behind the wheel. Our current Class 1 driver package includes: £15.60 per hour Guaranteed 50 hours per week £30 night-out allowance £50 enhanced allowance for Friday nights out Quarterly Performance Bonus up to £200 £300 Annual Retention/Performance Bonus Premium rate for weekend work Opportunities for overtime and weekend work if you would like to earn more An additional day's holiday for every year of service, up to 33 days A dedicated Driver Training Manager A dedicated Driver Representative, giving drivers a voice within the business Funded Driver CPC Funded eye tests and medicals Funded driver card renewals Ongoing in-house training Opportunities to progress Free company uniform It’s all part of making Browns somewhere good drivers want to stay, not simply somewhere they come to work. Looking for your next Class 1 driving role? We’re looking for reliable, experienced Class 1 HGV Drivers who take pride in what they do and want to become part of a growing, family-run logistics business in Stoke-on-Trent. If you’re looking for modern equipment, approachable management and a team that will support you when you need it — while also trusting you to get on with the job without being chased every five minutes — we’d like to hear from you. Find out more and apply on our careers page.