What Evans Distribution Systems does

Evans Distribution Systems, Inc. is a privately held, fourth-generation family-owned third-party logistics provider headquartered in Melvindale, Michigan. Founded in 1929 as the Central Detroit Warehouse Company, the firm has grown to operate 10 facilities totaling more than 5 million square feet of dedicated and multi-client warehousing space across Metro Detroit, with 2.3 million square feet activated as a Foreign Trade Zone. The company employs nearly 500 associates across its business units and operates a 125-truck asset-based transportation fleet through its Alden Logistics subsidiary, complemented by a non-asset freight brokerage (Evans Logistics) and Detroit drayage operations.

The service portfolio spans warehousing, transportation, fulfillment (including subscription box and e-commerce), value-added services such as kitting and relabeling, container freight station handling, and outsourced staffing solutions. The technology stack is anchored by a proprietary business intelligence portal, evans365, which provides customers with real-time shipment visibility and order management, and by Trimble's TMW.Suite TMS for fleet and transportation management. The company is CTPAT-certified and has maintained ISO 9001:2015 certification for 26 consecutive years, supporting cross-border and regulated-cargo work. It has been named a Top 100 3PL by Inbound Logistics for 23 consecutive years and ranks among Crain's Detroit Business Top 200 Private Companies.

Evans generates revenue through quote-based, multi-year contracts across at least seven verticals: automotive (with JIT and sequencing emphasis), food and beverage, consumer goods, hazmat and chemicals, paper and pulp, renewable energy (batteries and EV components), and government services. Pricing is custom-negotiated per customer requirements with no public rate cards, and go-to-market is sales-led, targeting enterprise and mid-market accounts via direct field sales and an inbound "Request a Quote" funnel. A 2026-launched internal AI initiative aims to drive automation and data governance across business units, building on the evans365 platform.

Name

Evans Distribution Systems

Legal name

Evans Distribution Systems, Inc.

Website

https://evansdist.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Evans Distribution Systems is a privately held, fourth-generation family-owned 3PL provider in Metro Detroit offering integrated warehousing, transportation, fulfillment, value-added, and staffing services across more than 5 million square feet to enterprise and mid-market customers in automotive, food and beverage, consumer goods, hazmat, paper, renewable energy, and government verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Services

NAICS

General Warehousing and Storage (493110)

SIC

Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)

akta.pro primary industry

Asset-Based 3PL Services (TLAIAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Asset-Based Warehousing & Distribution Centers (Owned/Leased Facilities) (TLAIAMAB)

Keywords

• Third-party logistics
• Warehousing services
• Freight transportation
• Contract fulfillment
• Supply chain management

Headquarters

HQ city

Melvindale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Warehousing Services: Third-party warehousing and fulfillment services including storage, container freight station, and foreign trade zone capabilities. Revenue generated through square footage usage and handling fees.
2. Transportation Services: Asset-based transportation through Alden Logistics and Evans Logistics, plus non-asset based freight brokerage. Revenue from trucking, drayage, and logistics management.
3. Fulfillment Services: E-commerce fulfillment and subscription box fulfillment services. Revenue from pick, pack, and ship operations.
4. Value-Added Services: Additional services including repackaging, labeling, assembly, and kitting. Revenue from specialized handling fees.
5. Staffing Solutions: Outsourced staffing services for warehouse and logistics operations. Revenue from staffing markups and management fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Evans Distribution Systems is a family-owned third-party logistics (3PL) provider that delivers warehousing, transportation, fulfillment, and supply chain services from its Metro Detroit, Michigan campus. It operates more than 5 million square feet across 10 facilities (including a Foreign Trade Zone of over 2.3 million square feet) and runs a 125-truck asset-based carrier arm (Alden Logistics), a freight brokerage (Evans Logistics), and a staffing solutions business, serving manufacturers, retailers, and e-commerce shippers.

Product overview

Evans Distribution Systems is a third-party logistics (3PL) provider offering an integrated portfolio of warehousing, transportation, fulfillment, value-added, and staffing services. The core platform is anchored by Evans365, a proprietary business intelligence and customer portal providing real-time data and shipment visibility. Transportation operations are supported by Alden Logistics (asset-based trucking) and Evans Logistics (freight brokerage), with Trimble TMW.Suite TMS enabling fleet management. The company operates dedicated and multi-client warehousing across 10 facilities totaling over 5 million square feet in Metro Detroit, with Foreign Trade Zone capabilities across 2.3 million square feet. Specialized services span automotive, food & beverage, consumer goods, hazmat, paper, and renewable energy logistics verticals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Alden Logistics: Asset-based transportation operation managed by James Whitehead, providing trucking and dispatch services.

Products and services

• Detroit Warehousing Dedicated and multi-client warehouse storage and handling in Metro Detroit, spanning more than 5 million square feet across 10 facilities, for manufacturers, retailers, and e-commerce shippers needing scalable storage capacity.
• Detroit Container Freight Station (CFS) Container freight station services that deconsolidate and consolidate containerized cargo for shippers moving freight through the Port of Detroit and surrounding border crossings.
• Detroit Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) Bonded Foreign Trade Zone storage of more than 2.3 million square feet in Metro Detroit, allowing customers to defer, reduce, or eliminate U.S. Customs duties on imported goods stored, processed, or re-exported from the facility.
• Detroit Fulfillment End-to-end pick-pack-ship fulfillment for retailers and e-commerce brands, with inventory visibility through the evans365 platform and integration to customer order systems.
• Subscription Box Fulfillment Recurring subscription-box assembly, kitting, and shipping for direct-to-consumer subscription brands, leveraging the company's value-added services and Metro Detroit fulfillment footprint.
• Detroit Drayage Container drayage between the Port of Detroit, rail terminals, and the Evans warehouse network, paired with the Foreign Trade Zone and container freight station services.
• Alden Logistics (Asset-Based Transportation) Asset-based truckload transportation with a fleet of 125 power units, providing dedicated, expedited, and team-driven service for shippers needing contracted capacity.
• Evans Logistics (Freight Brokerage) Non-asset freight brokerage arranging truckload capacity across North America for shippers needing overflow, spot, or contract moves outside the Alden Logistics fleet.
• Value-Added Services Value-added services such as kitting, labeling, light assembly, and returns processing that complement warehousing and fulfillment engagements.
• Staffing Solutions Logistics staffing services providing trained warehouse, fulfillment, and distribution associates to customers needing flexible labor capacity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced manual reporting burdens and reallocated staff through TMS implementation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TrimblecoreTechnology or Integration · 6 August 2025Trimble TMW.Suite TMS implementation across Evans' entire transportation operation resulting in measurable operational improvements including time savings and workflow efficiencies. The technology infrastructure upgrade enabled stronger internal communication, improved customer service, and foundation for future innovation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NFI Industries: Family-owned, multi-service 3PL offering dedicated transportation, warehousing, and integrated logistics across North America. Closely comparable as a privately held, asset-based, vertically integrated 3PL serving similar B2B customer segments.
• A. Duie Pyle: Family-owned regional 3PL providing warehousing, dedicated trucking, and distribution services primarily in the Northeast. Comparable in family ownership, multi-service offering, and mid-size asset-based positioning.
• Universal Logistics Holdings: Michigan-headquartered multi-service transportation and logistics provider offering trucking, dedicated, warehousing, and value-added services. Direct competitor with strong automotive sector exposure in the same Metro Detroit geography.

Broad incumbents

• Penske Logistics: Large global 3PL offering warehousing, dedicated transportation, and supply chain consulting. Significantly larger scale but directly comparable in service mix and target enterprise customers across automotive and consumer goods.
• Ryder System: Major North American 3PL with dedicated transportation, warehousing, and supply chain solutions serving automotive, retail, and industrial customers. Comparable in service lines though far larger in scale and public-company scale.
• DHL Supply Chain: Global 3PL leader with extensive warehousing, transportation, and value-added services across multiple industries. Competes with Evans for enterprise 3PL contracts though at substantially larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• XPO Logistics: Large North American 3PL with warehousing, dedicated transportation, and last-mile capabilities. Significant overlap in B2B contract logistics services and automotive/industrial customer base.
• Geodis: Global logistics provider offering contract logistics, warehousing, transportation, and freight forwarding. Directly comparable service portfolio targeting similar B2B enterprise customers at greater scale.
• Yusen Logistics: Global 3PL offering contract logistics, warehousing, and supply chain solutions across automotive, consumer goods, and industrial verticals. Comparable customer mix and integrated service model.

Emerging players

• Werner Logistics: Transportation and logistics arm of Werner Enterprises providing dedicated trucking, brokerage, and logistics services. Partial overlap with Evans' asset-based trucking and brokerage operations, particularly in automotive.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/user94871099
• Facebookfacebook.com/evansdist
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/evans-distribution-systems
• Instagraminstagram.com/evansdist
• Xx.com/evansdist

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Evans Distribution Systems