Groskopf Warehouse and Logistics announces three new services
Sonoma, California (May 18, 2011) – Groskopf Warehouse and Logistics has added three new services to its portfolio: counter-to-counter delivery via VinLux Fine Wine Transport, a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) bonded warehouse that is approved for spirits, and Temperature-Controlled Wine Shipping Solutions via FedEx. The services are expected to save time and money for customers in the wine and spirits industry, eliminating red tape, in-and-out charges, and shipping costs.
“We are three steps closer to achieving our goal of becoming a full-service supplier to the wine industry,” said Vice President and General Manager David Hammond of Groskopf. “Our alignments with VinLux and FedEx, as well as our CBP bonded warehouse, will be a tremendous asset to the local wine and spirits industry.”
Counter-to-Counter Service
With the help of VinLux, wineries can now pull stock from the Groskopf Warehouse in Sonoma and ship directly to retail and restaurant accounts throughout California. VinLux operates a fleet of 35 temperature-controlled delivery trucks with real-time tracking. Order processing, warehouse order selection, and delivery tracking are integrated through three sophisticated software systems. Customers have online access to inventory, order status, scheduled delivery time, and delivery confirmation.
“We aligned ourselves with VinLux because they are the best in their field,” said Hammond.
Bonded Warehouse
As approved by US Customs and Border Protection, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, Groskopf is now authorized to store, consolidate and ship spirits for producers and distributors. The designated, secured space is approximately 5,000 square feet in area. Groskopf fulfilled a two-year approval process that entailed rigorous security and protocol inspections as well as compliance with federal standards. Groskopf is in the final stages of implementing its operating procedures for the CBP bonded merchandise, and expects to be fully operational by July-August of this year.
“We are essentially offering the producers and distributors of spirits the same warehousing and logistical services that our winery clients receive,” said Hammond, “and are now one of eight CBP bonded warehouses within the service area of the Port of San Francisco.”
Temperature-Controlled Wine Shipping Solutions
Resulting from a 2010 FedEx beta test using Groskopf as the prototype, Groskopf has added Temperature-Controlled Wine Shipping Solutions to its wine club fulfillment services. This FedEx product offers refrigerated shipping from April to October, and will open up new wine club opportunities for northern California wineries.
“Temperature-Controlled Wine Shipping Solutions allows us to expand our wine club fulfillment services to existing clients such as 90 Plus Wine Club and attract many new ones,” said Hammond.
About Groskopf Warehouse and Logistics
Located in Sonoma, California, Groskopf Warehouse and Logistics (www.groskopf.com) is a full-service storage, consolidation and distribution center for the wine and spirits industries with a capacity of 1.4 million cases. The bonded 200,000-square-foot temperature controlled facility offers the latest generation of inventory management systems for online tracking as well as consumer-direct and wine-club distribution, labeling, compliance and export documentation. Logistics include online access to customer accounts, a shipment-tracking system, door-to-door-pick-ups, drayage (FTL, LTL and Intermodal) from San Francisco Bay Area piers, and consolidations. From its humble beginnings in 1939, Groskopf now stores and ships premium wines to the four corners of the globe.