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For Dave Robinson, wine is not only a passion, but a way of life.
A wine aficionado for some time, he has come to Lompoc to partake in the wine industry through a shipping and packaging business called Vintegrated Solutions.
In a business that he owned in Los Angeles, which specialized in warehouse logistics, Robinson shipped everything from skin care products to items imported from Taiwan and Singapore.
He decided that as a wine enthusiast, he should devote his effort specifically to wine. His business includes a Web site that offers marketing and logistics support to the Santa Barbara County wine market.
In addition to a Web site his business maintains, he also specializes in e-mail campaigns and wine club management.
“We started the business in L.A.,C Robinson said of Vintegrated Solutions, which he co-owns with Karen Steinwachs. “We decided we could do our own warehouse space and do our own shipping. … I decided I should move up here to do business.C
Robinson moved to Santa Ynez and has been at a new warehouse, 315 North E St., in Lompoc, for the past year.
“The winery will bottle the wine and then we move the wine out of the warehouse,C he said. “We sell to distributors. People also have Web site and telephone sales, or faxes 7 however is most convenient.C
He said many individual buyers go online to Web sites for the winery of their choice and purchase wine there. About 90 percent of the sales are completed online or by e-mail; the remaining 10 percent are done by telephone or fax.
Robinson said the focus of his business is Web site shipping sales, and all business is done by word-of-mouth, with no advertising. Nonetheless, business has been quite heavy from individual customers and distributors.
“We do the best in the time we have,C he said. “Most of the business is about trying not to go crazy. It/s a full-time job keeping up with everything.C
Robinson is even looking at adding a second building to his business due to the overwhelming demand. He said that about five years ago there were about 70 wineries in Santa Barbara County. Now, there are about 120 wineries and Robinson said he expects the industry to continue growing.
