Saw dust shortages.

[buildingmaint]

Talked to my pellet supplier today and asked him what the price on a ton was, and he told me "$235.00 this week, $250.00 next week". Asked why , he told me that saw dust is in short supply, and the pellet mill has been shut down for 4 out of the last 5 weeks because of it.

 

[jtakeman]

I heard of short supplies but not shutdowns. Must be worse than expected? I heard Turmans and Hamers where real hard to find. Hamer was switching the Elkins with Mt Hope at first but even they got scarce. I guess Barefoot and Cubex are also struggling to meet the demand with the limited supply of fiber.

There were a couple of members trying to warn poeple last fall, Guess they can say "I told you so"?

Hopefully everyone has enought to make it thru till spring?

 

[Bigjim13]

stop me if you've heard this one...





Sorry don't mean to be flip, just seems that at least a dozen times a season somebody on here has a new reason from a dealer/mill/stove company etc as to why pellets are going to be in short supply and prices are going through the roof...again....

 

[silverfox103]

stop me if you've heard this one...

I'm with you Jim, I don't believe it either.

Tom C.

 

[fitnesstech]

I called Turman this past week, they told me $225 /ton, and had plenty in stock. Going in a few days to get a few tons for the rest of the season. Guess I am fortunate that I live close enough to go and get them.

 

[Wachusett]

Any chance the demand for pellets may be off with the warm winter?

No demand need no supply.

 

[gyingling]

stop me if you've heard this one...

I'm with you Jim, I don't believe it either.

Tom C.

The sky is falling, the sky is falling!

 

[jtakeman]

You fella's got enough fuel?

Really, Its just the start. Got a message from an insider that NEWP in NH is shutdown all week for no fiber. Dry Creek and Corinth are struggling for fiber. Cubex is also in bad shape!

Don't make me say I told you so cus I will, Just like I said fuel was going to be close to the 2008 prices. And many of the top shelf brands are not that far off right now in CT. And yes I told you so! ;-P

 

[Bigjim13]

There is talk of a biomass plant being put in up the road from me, as a by product they are saying there is potential for 100,000 plus tons of wood pellets per hear. VT wood pellets are just a few miles from me, cranking out pellets. And while the local TSC is low, one dealer here has at least 100 tons in their yard. Shortage you say?

 

[jtakeman]

I heard Vermonts where having some process equipment issues and production was near a stand still?

Lets check and see how good my little birdies are! ;-)

 

[IHATEPROPANE]

I am sure some will have shortages others not...NEWP is probably short because they have been feeding all the box stores....no shortage there...My local dealer has has very few top brands in for a while now...overall though I think supply is OK around here.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

You fella's got enough fuel?

Really, Its just the start. Got a message from an insider that NEWP in NH is shutdown all week for no fiber. Dry Creek and Corinth are struggling for fiber. Cubex is also in bad shape!

Don't make me say I told you so cus I will, Just like I said fuel was going to be close to the 2008 prices. And many of the top shelf brands are not that far off right now in CT. And yes I told you so! ;-P

If, in fact, NEWP Jaffrey is off line, thats over 1600 tons per week not being shipped into the mix here locally in NE. That could be a blip on the radar or not at all. Time will tell. Although in general I agree with Jay, there are SO may choices out there right now. If this talk of shutdowns and shortages starts to grow some legs...prices are definitely going up, whether the problem is real or perceived.

 

[Harman Lover 007]

I am sure some will have shortages others not...NEWP is probably short because they have been feeding all the box stores....no shortage there...My local dealer has has very few top brands in for a while now...overall though I think supply is OK around here.

NEWP has three different plants cranking out over 250K total tons per year. IIRC they don't ship much further west than NY or MD. They are the largest pellet manufacturer in the Northeast. They didn't start selling to the big box stores until last year after their 3rd plant came online in Deposit NY.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

Talked to my pellet supplier today and asked him what the price on a ton was, and he told me "$235.00 this week, $250.00 next week". Asked why , he told me that saw dust is in short supply, and the pellet mill has been shut down for 4 out of the last 5 weeks because of it.

Take a drive and come visit. No issues here. I am still at $220.00 plus tax.

Eric

 

[smoke show]

I'm glad we don't have pellet drama in the midwest. :lol:

I get my fill here.

 

[Bigjim13]

I have seen NEWP at just about every store I go in around here. Even the Sunoco gas stations and Price Chopper grocery stores are selling Warm Fronts which I believe are rebagged NEWPs.


As for Vermont's my little birdie told me that they have a waiting list for pellets and trees/sawdust isn't the issue, as for equipment issues that may be so. I know they put in a huge piece of equipment over the summer to basically double their production.

 

[redhot1]

I just called our local Tractor Supply for pricing on a ton of pellets. I got the new price, unfortunately they are completely out at this time. Although they had a price change, it's still a decent price of $214.50 per ton. If you can get them that is? Just because Tractor Supply doesn't have them isn't saying there are none available at Lowe's or Home Depot. The trouble with HD and Lowe's is they sell sub par pellets (at least my stove doesn't seem to like them very much).

I just thought it strange this subject about some Saw Dust shortage came up, and one of the local business are out of the good pellets. Here is to hoping Tractor Supply operates by figuring out their sales of pellets almost to the last bag before they get another delivery of them in? Right now I'm thinking if there was a shortage, the new adjusted price would be much higher than the $214.50 a ton.

I remember before the pellet stove you could drive by local saw mills and see their huge piles of saw dust, so huge no-one wanted anything to do with it. My how times have changed! :roll:

 

[kinsmanstoves]

A good "pig" would have never let it get to this point.

Eric

 

[redhot1]

I have until the end of January before I need pellets. I know where I can buy them now, only trouble is I want better than what I currently have. Different kinds of pellets have been mentioned, I'd like to try the type a few on this site have suggested. I have been told that Tractor Supply has a good hot burning low ash pellet. My next move is to get them locally and get a feel for how often they run out of stock so I never get caught with my stove getting cold for the lack of something to burn. Earlier today the person I spoke to at Tractor Supply said they are expecting a load in tomorrow, if this is the case? I'll be there soon after they arrive with my trailer.

Besides, I'm still getting the hang of this deal. This is the second full day the stove has been hooked up and used. Right now as Pellet Pigs go, I guess you could say I am at such an early stage of wanting to develop into a full blown Pellet Pig. I am still just a sparkle in daddy pigs eye ;-P

 

[ironpony]

I heard of short supplies but not shutdowns. Must be worse than expected? I heard Turmans and Hamers where real hard to find. Hamer was switching the Elkins with Mt Hope at first but even they got scarce. I guess Barefoot and Cubex are also struggling to meet the demand with the limited supply of fiber.

There were a couple of members trying to warn poeple last fall, Guess they can say "I told you so"?

Hopefully everyone has enought to make it thru till spring?

spring 2015

 

[thedak]

I ain't paying more than $205 a ton for GTs.

I got 68 bags left. Once it runs out I'll turn on the furnace.

 

[jtakeman]

I heard of short supplies but not shutdowns. Must be worse than expected? I heard Turmans and Hamer where real hard to find. Hamer was switching the Elkins with Mt Hope at first but even they got scarce. I guess Barefoot and Cubex are also struggling to meet the demand with the limited supply of fiber.

There were a couple of members trying to warn poeple last fall, Guess they can say "I told you so"?

Hopefully everyone has enought to make it thru till spring?

spring 2015

OK, I'll rephrase that.

Hopefully the pigs can make it til spring, you hogs should be fine! Are pellets like beer if you have more you drink more?? :cheese:

 

[heat seeker]

spring 2015

Well, that's just PIGGISH!!

Oh, wait, that's a compliment, isn't it???

 

[JustWood]

There are always going to big price swings in pellets along the east cost as long as oil is high and the housing market is in the crapper. This is due to the ease of export.
The mild weather we have had this winter so far has compounded the raw material supply. If the ground doesn't freeze logs don't come out of the woods. Foresters/landowners don't allow it.
Another big factor that has developed over the last few years is low grade material and fiber demand.
The production of railrod ties and crane mats does not produce raw material for pellet makers. Large timbers = NO kerf = very little sawdust. Alot of #1 furniture grade lumber is being left in a large cant for mats or ties.
Logging and mill infrastucture in the last 10 years and especially the last 3-4 has been decimated. I've been to many mill auctions and seen exporters and scrappers scoop up every bit of equipment and building only to be exported to Russia/Africa/South America OR hauled to the scrap yard , never to be seen again. I believe in the future when housing improves this (lack of infrastructure) is going to be a huge limiting factor in many things.
The midwest will probably always see resonable pellet prices due to the availabilty of many different sources.
The Rocky Mountain region will probably see resonable prices for some time due to insect damage and the USFS change in stance on thinning.
The west coast is seeing whole log exports increase dramatically . This brings a whole new twist to the equation by totally elliminating any raw material for domestic use.
If I was in the market for a pellet stove , I'd be seriously looking at multifuels. In the next 3-5 years there will be more choices of pellets they just won't be wood.

 

[thedak]

Got 67 bags left now.

F it...