Is there a pellet mill in your town? Questions.

[P38X2]

K, folks. I realize there could be a lot of supposition in the responses and the true answers involve politics, contracts, production costs, dealer buying power, transportation, profit margins, consumer preferences, etc....but..

How are the choices in pellet brands in your town/local area? Are the prices of your local producer on par with the "imports" of the same quality. By same quality I mean as "apples to apples" as possible, not Infernos to Oakies. It seems strange to me to be standing next to 4 tons of a product shipped from 250 miles away while watching the steam come out of the kiln smokestack at NEWP out my window. The fact the price is the same, or in most cases, considerably cheaper on the "imports" is also a bit odd. An argument could also be made for NEWP big box labels being sold for $50 less than the local shop carrying the actual brand name.

While I'm EXTREMELY glad they're not, I'm kinda surprised NEWP, in my case, isn't completely saturating the area with their product. If I was the owner of NEWP, I'd be trying to make that the case.

Again, I understand there are too many variables that make the market structure what it is but I'm just curious as to what you guys see in your towns.

 

[smoke show]

Pretty consistant pricing here, with the exception of Doug Fir pellets.

 

[IHATEPROPANE]

I feel that Newp is the most over priced pellet around. Considering they are one of the closest manufacturers and middle of the road quality I would expect them to be quite a bit cheaper than others and that is not the case. I wonder if they are one of the older brands and they continue to sell to those that have been using them for years and have not tried many others. For what they go for I stay away unless the box stores have a good deal.

 

[subsailor]

I have 3 pellet manufacturers within 80 miles of me. Maine Choice, which I think is garbage and have actually returned before is sold at Lowes for $219/ton picked up. Corinth wood pellets I haven't tried, but from what I hear they are running at less than 100% capacity due to lack of sales. I can but MWP blend delivered to my door for $219. I have 2 tons of MWP softwood coming next Saturday for $235 delivered. Other than the local stuff, everything else is $250 and up, picked up.

 

[DexterDay]

Easy Heats Mill went online this year in Ohio... There pellets are a Shoulder Pellet in my eyes.. Also... For the same Price (actually a lil cheaper), I can get Somersets, which are a far superior product.

So I can get the BEST pellet I have burned for less than a local product. Also... Lignetics are in Virginia and I got them cheaper also. The Grren Labels and the Presto Logs are still better than local, and cheaper too...

 

[dumaspup]

I haven't burned NEWP yet, I find them to be the most over priced pettets on my local market. From what I hear they can't even get them into the distributors at a price that beats the imports. The one dealerI was talking to got a bit twitchy when he realized that I could get imports for less than he could get the NEWP at his whole sale price. And he is selling some where between 5 to 10 TT loads a season.

 

[jtakeman]

Easy Heats Mill went online this year in Ohio... There pellets are a Shoulder Pellet in my eyes.. Also... For the same Price (actually a lil cheaper), I can get Somersets, which are a far superior product.

So I can get the BEST pellet I have burned for less than a local product. Also... Lignetics are in Virginia and I got them cheaper also. The Grren Labels and the Presto Logs are still better than local, and cheaper too...

Funny how pellets aren't priced by actual quality. One reason I tell peeps to try all they can in their area's.

 

[DexterDay]

Funny how pellets aren't priced by actual quality. One reason I tell peeps to try all they can in their area's.

Sad but True. !!

 

[P38X2]

I feel that Newp is the most over priced pellet around. Considering they are one of the closest manufacturers and middle of the road quality I would expect them to be quite a bit cheaper than others and that is not the case. I wonder if they are one of the older brands and they continue to sell to those that have been using them for years and have not tried many others. For what they go for I stay away unless the box stores have a good deal.

It's quite possible that's the case in this area and I agree through my experience, local WOM and through reviews they're far from a "top shelf" pellet. Perhaps in the local consumers minds, the lack of options is leading to this. The local shop has been selling the Harman brand for years and, from what I've read, they seem to be able to make any pellet work well, at least as far as throwing off heat is concerned. Most people aren't as enthusiastic as we are so they never search any further for something better/cheaper.

The local TSC has only been open around a year or so but the cheapest I've seen is $239 for MWP. The next closest TSC, 20 miles away was at one point selling them for $209 I believe. It seems like as long as NEWP stay in the $250 range in the area, any dealers that sell "imports" jack them up to or just under that mark. I paid the same for my MWP's as what NEWP's are going for whereas I've seen others say they're paying $209. The "import" dealers seem to be leaning towards greed rather then to capitalize on setting a new standard of prices and, more importantly, opening consumers eyes to other, possibly better, options.

In my area, yes, the prices aren't the greatest, but I'm thankful I can find a pellet I'm happy with without getting porked too badly. Hopefully, as oil continues to cost what it does, that'll change soon. The downside to that change is in if it's in the wrong direction. I'm not knocking NEWP for it's business practices, they're brilliant. The CEO is a pellet pig of the highest order and that's a compliment. Being a pellet burner, I'm proud to have a facility like that in the area and I'd absolutely use their pellets if they were priced according to quality as I agree they're not, but I'm not holding my breath. It would be nice if people woke up around here and realized what's out there for options or lack thereof.

 

[dumaspup]

It's quite possible that's the case in this area and I agree through my experience, local WOM and through reviews they're far from a "top shelf" pellet. Perhaps in the local consumers minds, the lack of options is leading to this. The local shop has been selling the Harman brand for years and, from what I've read, they seem to be able to make any pellet work well, at least as far as throwing off heat is concerned. Most people aren't as enthusiastic as we are so they never search any further for something better/cheaper.

The local TSC has only been open around a year or so but the cheapest I've seen is $239 for MWP. The next closest TSC, 20 miles away was at one point selling them for $209 I believe. It seems like as long as NEWP stay in the $250 range in the area, any dealers that sell "imports" jack them up to or just under that mark. I paid the same for my MWP's as what NEWP's are going for whereas I've seen others say they're paying $209. The "import" dealers seem to be leaning towards greed rather then to capitalize on setting a new standard of prices and, more importantly, opening consumers eyes to other, possibly better, options.

In my area, yes, the prices aren't the greatest, but I'm thankful I can find a pellet I'm happy with without getting porked too badly. Hopefully, as oil continues to cost what it does, that'll change soon. The downside to that change is in if it's in the wrong direction. I'm not knocking NEWP for it's business practices, they're brilliant. The CEO is a pellet pig of the highest order and that's a compliment. Being a pellet burner, I'm proud to have a facility like that in the area and I'd absolutely use their pellets if they were priced according to quality as I agree they're not, but I'm not holding my breath. It would be nice if people woke up around here and realized what's out there for options or lack thereof.

I might be a bit slow on the up take here. But it would seem to me a local retail outlet could sell imports for say 225 a ton it would make up the loss per ton in volume of tons sold if they are selling a good pellet. Plus sales of other items they carry.

 

[Lousyweather]

I haven't burned NEWP yet, I find them to be the most over priced pettets on my local market. From what I hear they can't even get them into the distributors at a price that beats the imports. The one dealerI was talking to got a bit twitchy when he realized that I could get imports for less than he could get the NEWP at his whole sale price. And he is selling some where between 5 to 10 TT loads a season.

well, the dealer is kinda held hostage by what he has to pay for product, and trust me, even the dealers wonder how mills from further away can ship and sell product cheaper than New England......who knows, maybe NEWP's raw material over overhead costs more, or their investors require more profit.....?

 

[P38X2]

Does the recent NEWP news answer any of these questions? Hmmmmmm......