Selling a couple thousand tons in a season is one thing. Having a couple thousand tons on-hand at once is something else. That's impressive.
no, its no exaggeration, we sell hundreds of tons per week, and when the season is upon us, trucking cant keep up.....its why we tend to have inventory when everyone else has none.....remember February-March of 2014?
Nope, still would be ridiculous. The land alone to house that many pellets is outrageous. Thousands is over at a minimum 100 truckloads sitting on the property.
yup.....Doug isn't wrong, and neither is IHATEPROPANE, to a point.......stack 'em 2 high (we've tried 3, but its too dangerous....a wrong tap with a lift, drop a lot).....and it sits on around 6 acres or so......in total, its actually closer to 3,000 tons tho......Doug only thinks about his Okies.........and for the record, I think there will STILL be a shortage this year......
That's a lot of valuable land for inventory, but if you can move them than there is no real issue. There may be another pellet shortage this year, time will tell. At least there will be no shortage for me
Look you rabble rousers the time to get pellets is when they are available. If you depend on big boxes they are 3 months (1 season) out of sync with the rest of the world so start looking 3 months before the heating season starts. Hopefully on the MWP front Scott and company will get ahead of the utility company and have a cheaper energy source. I have my multiseason supply in house and I may start looking into a slow drip replacement process. This year those with multifuel ability should go looking for corn seems there is a huge harvest this year.
This might have something to do with prices.. Going into the fall heating season, energy prices are coming down a bit. The ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel) contract is the lowest it has been in a year.. While the heating oil dealers haven't lowered their prices much in the Northeast, they will likely come down as will diesel prices for trucking and raw material production.. Question is whether the memory of last year or anticipation of a cold winter this year will keep the upward pressure on pellets or not. As for the discussion of driving to save money on gas, I go here and I do it. While I mostly look for the lowest price along my route, I also do it locally and plan my stop at the local gas station for low prices on my way to the transfer station. I believe in rewarding a retailer who has low prices. Even if it costs me an extra dollar in gas over what I save, I think that sending my business to someone committed to low prices is worth my time and effort. I prefer to give my business to a locally owned gas station as opposed to a global giant. I see this argument as being the same as buying American. Why pay more for something that was made in the USA when you can save 5-10% buying something that was made overseas? Some people think it's worth it to contribute a drop in the ocean to reduce our trade deficit. Should those people be ridiculed for voting with their pocketbook? I don't think so...
The HD near me has FSU's right now and they usually have MWP as well. They don't have them now but they claim they will be getting another brand in within a month. If it's now MWP then I'll buy 3 tons of FSU. If it is MWP, then I'll split the order. I'm getting antsy, though. If something doesn't show soon, I'll just get 3 FSU.
It was in September last year that I bought and got my best deal @ HD. Not going to panic this year. In part, my not being willing to wait is how I ended up with my first pellet stove. A decent stove, but not the heater this one is. When you see pellets at Walmart for $207, you have to know they jumped in where they think the prices will be.
HD around here is still around 239. With Walmart at 207 on MWP, are you holding out for the delivery that Walmart wont give you? Quite frankly, I would't blame you there as hauling 3 ton is not fun or cost efficient in time, fuel and wear on both vehicles (you and the rig). Unless you have a big truck, a trailer and you are built like The Rock !! I Hope your right Larry as i could use another ton or so for peace of mind. This has been an awfully cool summer and if that translates into winter we are in for another heavy fuel season. I am really hoping that the gamble on Corinth pays off.
That's whats great about these forums.....differing points of view, and reasons for such! Always good to hear how folks think. Fact is, no one really knows how cold its gonna be, what the prices will be, nor what the supply will be. Cant say as I agree its a good idea to wait in the chance of saving a few bucks, but maybe it will pay off for you. Mine are in my cellar, so, Im good for the season.......
For the first time ever this year I did not buy the majority of my supply from my local supplier. Price seemed high. I gambled and won getting MWP for 225. Anything under 250 I would have been happy with. If I see prices under 250 during the season I will buy as I go. For those that are waiting for prices to get lower than they are now, not sure that's the right play. But who knows, The gambling is part of the fun.
Don't panic about the pellets. Gas prices are down even in the face of all this horrible war in the Mid East. In some sort of way, all fuel (except what you cut on your own) has some common root in their price. If you notice, the ones that speak of shortages are sales people. I can't help but think there will be a shortage if the winter is very cold and lingers on. No one in the business wants to be left with unsold product. In some ways it is a prescheduled perennial event. Sellers look at past years sales numbers and try to be dead on. Only thing is, we know that winter has extremes and so is the range of need. That is why I think is is alway better to be set for a bad winter or buy a few tons, save them and keep buying as you use them. Then when the scheduled shortage hits, you are all set.
I agree with your thinking, but I also know that in 2009 I knew no one but myself burning pellets for main source of heat and now I know of almost a dozen others. Most do not know of these forums or think like we do. They get their pellets when the can and what they can from big box. Its big box that most likely will have the shortages if there are any-not the pellet dealer who knows his customers needs and plans ahead. I am all set for a solid winter and I got what I wanted from my pellet house in June but I could use some more FSU/MWP or the like as a buffer and big box is where those are at for the price I will pay. Meh, who knows what will happen., I do know that I dont want to be caught flat footed in March.
I don't plan on being caught either. I want 5 tons in my possesion before the middle of Sept. I'm not holding out on price, I'm holding out on selection. I'm on the road today and tomorrow. I did drive through a HD yard in another part of Maine that had some MWP's stored outside, so I'm thinking they're starting to take deliveries. Hopefully I can put this thing to bed soon.
Me too! If I can't get a good deal from HD, I'm going to order from SIB in Jay. At least he puts them in my garage so I don't have to move them again. I either have to do that or get someone to use a pellet jack and push them into place.
