# Bulk Salt going thru the roof



## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

I had a friend told me I can buy Bulk salt in St Louis So I call they want 219.00 per ton and I have to pick it up. I fell out of my chair 
This is at a Salt yard I told them I didn't need it that bad I have plenty I hope to get me to spring time. For that price I'll buy more bags.


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## ServiceOnSite (Nov 23, 2006)

Look at what the oil companies get away with. When the demand is there and your the only supply you can control the price. Ive heard of muni from here sending out trucks for salt at over 300 per ton and thats not including trucking. 
This would have been a great year to be in the trucking business around here.


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## Grassman09 (Mar 18, 2009)

ServiceOnSite;1768431 said:


> Look at what the oil companies get away with. When the demand is there and your the only supply you can control the price. Ive heard of muni from here sending out trucks for salt at over 300 per ton and thats not including trucking.
> This would have been a great year to be in the trucking business around here.


Buffalo fuel corp delivers salt into Canada from your area. The salt is crap thou, really fine and dirty it blows off the back of your spinner when u spread it and is usually mixed with trash that they haul out of Toronto to buffalo. there prices were pretty good.


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## fireside (Mar 1, 2008)

It has in ct too. The state attorney general office has over 200 complaints of price gouging. We have a new law you are allowed 20 percent over 30 days based on fair market value. There are yards charging 250 plus per ton for salt from 120 per ton. He said he will fine all companys found to be gouging. Time will tell. This law was passed after last years blizzard.

I'm not sure how it will play out towns are paying 220 per ton of treated salt from 73 delivered.


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## ServiceOnSite (Nov 23, 2006)

Price gouging is only on certain items like food fuel and water i thought??? At least thats the way it is in NY. But everyday is a rip off at the pump


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

It's supply and demand. No one is forcing you to buy salt. I just bought 83 tonne for $160/tonne and I was just glad I got some. Hoping I can skimp through the rest of the season with the 150 tonne I have left along with using sand as well. I just want to keep my properties safe.


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## fireside (Mar 1, 2008)

not in the state of ct now. It covers all service industies including snowplowing and removel, trees, home repair the list goes on. It also covers ALL products used for those services. Yes salt and ice melt are covered under the law. We had 4 major weather events and things got out of control price wise. The state steped in and said no more,but my questions is why did the towns pay 400 per hour for loaders during the blizzard than complain about it!!! I had a town/city offer me 150 per hour for my skidsteer last year to clear sidewalks downtown. i said no it was already working she than offered 250 per hour all fuel would be supplied along with food.


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## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

JD Dave;1768537 said:


> It's supply and demand. No one is forcing you to buy salt. I just bought 83 tonne for $160/tonne and I was just glad I got some. Hoping I can skimp through the rest of the season with the 150 tonne I have left along with using sand as well. I just want to keep my properties safe.


I received a load this week for my regular price.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

goel;1768566 said:


> I received a load this week for my regular price.


What's your regular price?


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## SnowMatt13 (Jan 8, 2003)

It is supply and demand for sure. BUT it is also the fault of many municipalities who salt so irresponsibly throughout the year too. I am a very small muni in the big picture and I have had some minor issues getting my salt that I have already contracted for. The salt companies here take care of the "big boys" first (IDOT, Chicago, etc) What steams me is that I teach a local class about salting responsibly and appropriately for the conditions yet I see agencies like IDOT run through town blades scraping wet pavement while they are pouring out salt. I bet if I got all the salt they wasted in an event I could fill my barn. Completely irresponsible and in the end costs taxpayers more when they "run out" I wish there was a way to regulate it but they would cite "public safety" and keep pouring it out.
So there's my rant 
It makes me mad that I require my employees to use just enough material for a situation and then watch those bozos run through town.


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## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

JD Dave;1768568 said:


> What's your regular price?


Less than 80 delivered.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

goel;1768577 said:


> Less than 80 delivered.


Early fill is $66 and I got another 1200 ton at $73 so when I avg I all out the $160 for 2 loads isn't that big a deal. That being said I would had rather not paid the $160 but since I buy direct through Cargill and Canadian they both told me there is no salt except for government contracts. I heard Sifto started releasing some loads this week.


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## Maclawnco (Nov 21, 2002)

My supplier was allowed back into Cargill in Cleveland to haul to private contractors a few weeks ago. We haven't paid over $100 a ton all winter and 25% of our loads came from Cleveland at a 4 hour drive one way.


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## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

JD Dave;1768582 said:


> Early fill is $66 and I got another 1200 ton at $73 so when I avg I all out the $160 for 2 loads isn't that big a deal. That being said I would had rather not paid the $160 but since I buy direct through Cargill and Canadian they both told me there is no salt except for government contracts. I heard Sifto started releasing some loads this week.


Average is what so many poeple forget. They are actually mainly dwelling on TODAYs high price.

My average cost is actually down this year, with mixing sand into it early when the warnings about salt started.

Now like everyone my usage is higher.


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

our salt distributor has ran out and we haven't needed to salt since they did but they are still trying to get a load. One guy offered us 225 a ton. I almost fell out of my seat when he told me that. I have paid 90/ton all year long. Now we're just praying it wont snow anymore this year lol good luck with that right?


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## Flawless440 (Dec 6, 2010)

$69.50 first 125 ton.. $89.00 last 100 ton... Last check our salt yard is at $110 a ton now... Still have 50 ton hoping to use it all..


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## deicepro (Mar 24, 2009)

I don't hear anyone even thinking about liquids....liquid Calcium Chloride applied at 6-8 gallons per ton will save you 30%-50% on your salt usage. You can make your own for $1 per gallon or less.


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

deicepro;1768946 said:


> I don't hear anyone even thinking about liquids....liquid Calcium Chloride applied at 6-8 gallons per ton will save you 30%-50% on your salt usage. You can make your own for $1 per gallon or less.


I know nothing about liquid but you can bet after this winter i am going to learn everything there is to them and then go buy one for a backup plan! It is getting out of control with what is going on.


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## deicepro (Mar 24, 2009)

snowplower1;1769148 said:


> I know nothing about liquid but you can bet after this winter i am going to learn everything there is to them and then go buy one for a backup plan! It is getting out of control with what is going on.


I think the biggest issue is that guys try liquids and something goes wrong and they give up....


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## xtreem3d (Nov 26, 2005)

Antlerart06;1768288 said:


> I had a friend told me I can buy Bulk salt in St Louis So I call they want 219.00 per ton and I have to pick it up. I fell out of my chair
> This is at a Salt yard I told them I didn't need it that bad I have plenty I hope to get me to spring time. For that price I'll buy more bags.


Who did you call in St. Louis?
Steve


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## xtreem3d (Nov 26, 2005)

I had a buddy go out and buy 3 spray rigs because he was going to run out..


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## RLM (Jan 12, 2006)

snowplower1;1769148 said:


> I know nothing about liquid but you can bet after this winter i am going to learn everything there is to them and then go buy one for a backup plan! It is getting out of control with what is going on.


Good luck, try finding a supplier in our market....then you still have to try selling it to clients . Unless you have 20k+ extra laying around


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

RLM;1769329 said:


> Good luck, try finding a supplier in our market....then you still have to try selling it to clients . Unless you have 20k+ extra laying around


But you cut your salt usage by 30-50%. It should be a no brainer.


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## snowplower1 (Jan 15, 2014)

JD Dave;1769339 said:


> But you cut your salt usage by 30-50%. It should be a no brainer.


Well he's not completely wrong. Most of our contracts say no liquid salting so you do have to convince your clients but I don't have a problem with getting one or making it. I can build one myself. The real issue would be getting your clients on board lol


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## spiviter (Oct 31, 2004)

snowplower1;1769374 said:


> Well he's not completely wrong. Most of our contracts say no liquid salting so you do have to convince your clients but I don't have a problem with getting one or making it. I can build one myself. The real issue would be getting your clients on board lol


I did 1 free application to prove it works on a 1" snow fall, Then plowed another event and sprayed right after we were done. Customer was surprised how fast it burns up the snow. Now they only want liquid when possible. I charge the same price and use less material. I make our own sodium and calcium brine. We spray the sidewalks also with a wand or the earthway walk behind sprayer. Gonna build a stand on unit this summer for the walks.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

I have not found a source nearby for calcium (liquid or otherwise) other than buying bags at the hardware store. Gonna try asking the concrete suppliers for help on that one as I want to run pre-wetting on lots and liquids on sidewalks... not afraid to build a brine maker. 

All the supplies we use have to be trucked in from other places unfortunately...


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

I agree with SnoMatt13 100000%!! When we went to NYC a couple years ago to help dig them out, they had us put all the snow from the sidewalks back into the streets just so they could run over and over it dumping literally tons and tons in a few blocks. Someone there told me the city spent over 3 million in salt just that week.


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

snowplower1;1769148 said:


> I know nothing about liquid but you can bet after this winter i am going to learn everything there is to them and then go buy one for a backup plan! It is getting out of control with what is going on.


This is exactly why we got into liquids many years ago. Remember about 4 or so years ago when this happen. We were left spreading cinders....what a freakin mess come spring, not to mention the icy lots everywhere.


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## rcn971 (Jan 28, 2011)

The liquids work great when used under the right circumstances. This year was a great opportunity for those of us along the NJ coastline to sell/utilize liquid apps. Last year, not so....with conditions being favorable for only one storm, which was forecast wrong so I would not have applied anyway. 

I believe that in order for it to catch on around here the pricing needs to be the same as a regular salt application for people to switch over. There is also the equipment buy in for the contractor, which is not really cheap, unless you are able to build your own sprayer and save some costs. As we watch the state and municipalities waste salt and brine on our roadways during rainstorms and pre applying before events that will not be favorable of using these products just to get their overtime hours and budgets spent, we need to implement conservation and proper use so that we don't find ourselves in these situations year after year.


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