Fall wood pellet availability

Augmister said:

There is no value holding back supply when demand is what it is.
Fear is a great motivator and playing itself out well.

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The people that sell us pellets are not trying to scare us, any more than we are trying to scare customers.
We only go by what they tell us... so that said, I will stand by my opinion, that if you can buy now,
I would... and would not wait until "you need them"...
Yes.. right now we can get them fairly easy. But the suppliers are cautious about later on.
at least the three that we know.
Everyone does not think as far ahead as you... buying 12 months out.. awesome!

Dan

Pete Zahria said:

The people that sell us pellets are not trying to scare us, any more than we are trying to scare customers.
We only go by what they tell us... so that said, I will stand by my opinion, that if you can buy now,
I would... and would not wait until "you need them"...
Yes.. right now we can get them fairly easy. But the suppliers are cautious about later on.
at least the three that we know.
Everyone does not think as far ahead as you... buying 12 months out.. awesome!

Dan

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Which "suppliers" are you referring to? And rather than being "cautious about later on", shouldn't they just be concentrating on their business at hand and cranking out product, rather than inflating an unjustified fear? It seems that the distributors are the ones that are looking to keep the supply chain flowing more freely and make room for more product on their shelves. The distributors by us want us to purchase now, and as far as price difference from last year, we are looking at around 10 dollars a ton more than last year. As a percentage that equates to 3.5% increase. Not bad if you ask me, and those waiting for oil prices to crash and curse a $7.00 bag of pellets have a Lonnnggg wait!

Pete Zahria said:

The people that sell us pellets are not trying to scare us, any more than we are trying to scare customers.
We only go by what they tell us... so that said, I will stand by my opinion, that if you can buy now,
I would... and would not wait until "you need them"...
Yes.. right now we can get them fairly easy. But the suppliers are cautious about later on.
at least the three that we know.
Everyone does not think as far ahead as you... buying 12 months out.. awesome!

Dan

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Try to buy a years supply of pellets on Cape Cod right now. Don't think so, they won't be shipping till Sept, never mind know what they will have in stock. Now is time to sell garden supplies, patio stuff, kayaks and bikes. Oh and fishing tackle and man the tourist traps. Neither the stores nor the customers ( probably why the stores) are thinking heating stuff at the moment. Sept is the time here and probably about the third week at that, pellets will start showing up. Often we have very mild falls here, the bay finally warms up in Aug and holds through Sept and it holds our temps moderate into Oct usually. Sept is a beautiful month here barring a hurricane or two doesn't come through. So Oct, minds will turn to heating and Nov a mad flurry will begin if its a cold one ( often even Nov is still pretty warm here, then it crashes all at once)..

That said, I personally wouldn't mind having my stock laid in but try to get them ! I have two suppliers who will take next years order but one has decided to carry just Okie DF at a price I'm not will to lay in a whole years supply at. The other can't confirm they will have Energex hards that I prefer over the softs or if there is a price change coming.. I can get La Crete or Vermonts but they are 40+ miles away and at no price with an incentive to travel that far and get one ton at a time.. So I wait till the change happens like everyone else around here.

Phoenix Hatchling said:

And rather than being "cautious about later on",
shouldn't they just be concentrating on their business at hand and cranking out product?

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Couldn't tell ya. I'm not in that business.
I'm just a web guy..

Dan

Phoenix Hatchling said:

Which "suppliers" are you referring to? And rather than being "cautious about later on", The distributors by us want us to purchase now, and as far as price difference from last year, we are looking at around 10 dollars a ton more than last year. As a percentage that equates to 3.5% increase. Not bad if you ask me, and those waiting for oil prices to crash and curse a $7.00 bag of pellets have a Lonnnggg wait!

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Dude, Seriously, Pellets up here, central CT are up closer to 10% Hammers, if in stock, are 299. Last year I paid 275. I bought WP co last week for 260, last year they were 225. Dry creek last year was 240, today 270. I haven't seen any VT, Hamers are sketchy, Barefoots come and go.

iron stove said:

Dude, Seriously, Pellets up here, central CT are up closer to 10% Hammers, if in stock, are 299. Last year I paid 275. I bought WP co last week for 260, last year they were 225. Dry creek last year was 240, today 270. I haven't seen any VT, Hamers are sketchy, Barefoots come and go.

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Yup.

Has anyone seen any Somerset's around? If so what cost? looking for 2015-2016 stash

Don't know what the scare was all about......lots of pellets to go around

cold front said:

Don't know what the scare was all about......lots of pellets to go around

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For now.

cold front said:

Don't know what the scare was all about......lots of pellets to go around

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It's August, man...

Dan

iron stove said:

While pellets are available in my part of CT, prices are up dramatically, Brand selection is WAY DOWN, and smallest July Inventories I've seen in my 11 season of pellet burning. BUY NOW, or SOON

My weather sources are predicting another TOUGH winter. So factor in lower than average inventories, higher prices already, if we see another tough winter, there WILL BE shortages and CRAZY prices. Possibly worse than last season

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I'm new to pellet buring - had 4 tons delivered with my stove when installed in late December - just a week or two before the polar vortex came knocking.... so although I had my winter supply, I did hear of shortages soon thereafter! I totally agree with you - I tried to buy Barefoot again this summer and either they are not available/sold out, or you had to place and order and wait... I didn't want to wait so I had 3 tons of LaCretes delivered in July and I am resting comfortably now (and double locks on my garage doors just in case lol - jk)

Got 4 tons ready for winter. Plus wood for the next several winters.

Our Okanagan dealer told us that the supplier has told them that they expect both a similar winter and supply issues as last year. Orders put in now will be honored, they were getting a lock on how many tons to supply. And the supplier wanted pre orders locked in sooner than later, we had a deadline to get ours locked in by.. So I think you will see similar shortages coming in around Feb on premium pellets or certainly DF here in SE New England, you ( whom ever) don't want to be scrounging around looking for pellets in the cold weather. If you can get them now get them. I have secured two tons of DF for dealer on site storage and I will order two tons of perhaps Spruce Pointe pellets for home delivery as soon as I hear they are available and priced out. Our Energex dealer is expecting a full line and supply of pellets to be in stock in sept. I don't expect shortages till after Christmas except maybe on the DF and I have those secured for my mid winter burn period.. Meanwhile I'm up here in Northern Maine running the stove in the cabin we are renting . This morning is cool with a north wind, I turned on the gas stove in the living room to take out the chill ( cabinet model living room stove with ceramic wavers inside, does a great job). Yesterday morning we had the windows open !

I REALLY wasn't impressed with the black hills i burned last year.

briansol said:

I REALLY wasn't impressed with the black hills i burned last year.

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I was tempted with them, but heard 50/50 reviews on the Okies. Glad I did what I did with the Lacretes.

Phoenix Hatchling said:

I was tempted with them, but heard 50/50 reviews on the Okies. Glad I did what I did with the Lacretes.

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This is a touch off this thread's topic... but since you've burned Barefoot and LaCrete, do you use different feed rates in your Harman for different pellets? The dealer/installer both said leave the Feed Rate on 3 and use Stove Temp rather than Room Temp. (I did just as they suggested with burning the Barefoot and was happy). TIA !

I usually leave it set at 4 and room the stove in Room Temp. I don't mind it cycling on and off during shoulder season, and I want it to be able to dump more during high demand periods. The Barefoots tend to burn through faster though and I feel a function of pellet size.

cold front said:

Don't know what the scare was all about......lots of pellets to go around

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Well, I said BUY in JULY So how it going ? Pellets I paid 250-260 for are now 280 ! Home depot and lowes are 239 a ton. We are Hours away from September. The local BIG pellet house has the cheapest pellet at 270, and most 280-295, and still very limited quantities of the Best brands.

My long range forecasters are holding rock solid on a COLD winter. So be ready. Buy now, or be ready for plenty of I Told you in a few months.

First pellet purchase for me today. I'm in Canada. I got 3 tons of Ambiance/Orford hardwood (manufactured by Valfei, in my own city!)

They were at $4.99 a bag. The store had a 10% off promo today and I got free delivery on top of that. Not bad, eh?

iron stove said:

Well, I said BUY in JULY

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We started pushing that concept in May.. Not to scare, but to advise.

Buy now, or be ready for plenty of I Told you in a few months.

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No need for that.
If there is difficulty later on, and we hope there isn't, those caught in it, will get it....
You can only harp on something so long. A lot of the people that buy from us,
and new ones, have stepped up and got their stuff early.. We are WAY ahead of last years
to date sales.
We are hearing some local type smaller dealers, are calling for their orders, and are being told
sure, no problem... 4-6 weeks... then the baloney hits the fan... and likely will continue into the winter...
Historically, the slam season is about to start... County fair season around here... cool nights...
People start thinking "Maybe we should get pellets".. Good idea!

Dan

Pete Zahria said:

We started pushing that concept in May.. Not to scare, but to advise.



No need for that.
If there is difficulty later on, and we hope there isn't, those caught in it, will get it....
You can only harp on something so long. A lot of the people that buy from us,
and new ones, have stepped up and got their stuff early.. We are WAY ahead of last years
to date sales.
We are hearing some local type smaller dealers, are calling for their orders, and are being told
sure, no problem... 4-6 weeks... then the baloney hits the fan... and likely will continue into the winter...
Historically, the slam season is about to start... County fair season around here... cool nights...
People start thinking "Maybe we should get pellets".. Good idea!

Dan

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The ones who don't "get it" usually never will. I've been in the forest products fuel wood industry for close to 30 years and have had some of the same customers for that entire time. Customers all the way from the 3 cord a year user to electric plants consuming thousands of tons of our chips/sawdust often times don't get the man power/logistics of getting wood from stump to end user.
I have wood customers that order wood in Oct. of every year and wonder why they don't get a delivery til Nov. or Dec. I tell them the same thing every year. "Why didn't you respond to the flyer we sent last Feb?" They always just shrug their shoulders.
There are some well educated/informed individuals on this forum in regards to pellet supply/sales. I woodn't take their info with a grain of salt.
That being said,,,, in my 30 years supplying fuel wood byproducts ,,, raw material supplies are at the lowest levels I've EVER seen and prices just in the last 60-90 days have increased 40-60% (raw material prices). Those increases have to be made up somewhere.
Fuel wood byproducts don't come to market with the flip of a switch like oil, nat gas, and propane. Buy early, buy often.

JustWood said:

The ones who don't "get it" usually never will. I've been in the forest products fuel wood industry for close to 30 years and have had some of the same customers for that entire time. Customers all the way from the 3 cord a year user all the way to electric plants consuming our chips/sawdust often times don't get the man power/logistics of getting wood from stump to end user.
I have wood customers that order wood in Oct. of every year and wonder why they don't get a delivery til Nov. or Dec. I tell them the same thing every year. "Why didn't you respond to the flyer we sent last Feb?" They always just shrug their shoulders.
There are some well educated/informed individuals on this forum in regards to pellet supply/sales. I woodn't take their info with a grain of salt.
That being said,,,, in my 30 years supplying fuel wood byproducts ,,, raw material supplies are at the lowest levels I've EVER seen and prices just in the last 60-90 days have increased 40-60% (raw material prices). Those increases have to be made up somewhere.
Fuel wood byproducts don't come to market with the flip of a switch like oil, nat gas, and propane. Buy early, buy often.

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I agree. I buy my pellets for the next season as soon as my supplier gets them in. This year, I bought 6 tons the first week in April.

Pete Zahria said:

We started pushing that concept in May.. Not to scare, but to advise.



No need for that.
If there is difficulty later on, and we hope there isn't, those caught in it, will get it....
You can only harp on something so long. A lot of the people that buy from us,
and new ones, have stepped up and got their stuff early.. We are WAY ahead of last years
to date sales.
We are hearing some local type smaller dealers, are calling for their orders, and are being told
sure, no problem... 4-6 weeks... then the baloney hits the fan... and likely will continue into the winter...
Historically, the slam season is about to start... County fair season around here... cool nights...
People start thinking "Maybe we should get pellets".. Good idea!

Dan

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Im a 10 year Veteran at this, and obviously your in the BIZ, but you just cant fix some people.

"You can't fix stupid"

-Ron White