# Selling salt locally to other snowplowers



## Bigplower (Sep 22, 2009)

I'm thinking about selling salt locally as there is no place to really buy salt in the middle of a snow storm. I was wondering if anyone else has done this and how they do it.
Do you sell it by the pound/ton or by the yard?
Do you let people come and fill 5 gallon buckets so that they dont have to buy bags?
It seems from the pricing i have seen, that there is a big difference in price between bulk and bagged and that it would make sense for smaller companies that have tailgate spreader to want to come in so that they don't have to hand load with bags or so they don't have to store large amount of salt themselves. 
Any and all input would be apprecaited!


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## terrapro (Oct 21, 2006)

Personally if you sell by the weight I think some get the shaft. If the salt is wet one yard of will weigh more than one yard of dry salt. If you have the ability to sell it I would take advantage of the situation.

Good luck!


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

Bigplower;810368 said:


> I'm thinking about selling salt locally as there is no place to really buy salt in the middle of a snow storm. I was wondering if anyone else has done this and how they do it.
> Do you sell it by the pound/ton or by the yard?
> Do you let people come and fill 5 gallon buckets so that they dont have to buy bags?
> It seems from the pricing i have seen, that there is a big difference in price between bulk and bagged and that it would make sense for smaller companies that have tailgate spreader to want to come in so that they don't have to hand load with bags or so they don't have to store large amount of salt themselves.
> Any and all input would be apprecaited!


Where are you located?


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Weeeelllllll, never done it before and I wish we had the yards that did it by us, but if I were to do it, I would:

Have a loader with a scale on it like the gravel pits do.

Cash and carry as well, or at least a valid credit card on file.

Or a retainer.

Those last 2 are just because I know the reps of most of the scrapers\plowers around here. And the economy.


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

Some dude just called our office, looking to buy bulk salt from us, probably like 5 pallets worth of bags. 

I think there is probably money to be made from the resale, but like mark said to be fair to you, and your "customers" having a small scale would be a good way to go, if you want to sell during storms you have to obviously be willing to have someone at your shop fulltime to load....i'm sure a lot of you guys have someone at your shop during storms to reload trucks...we just have our drivers reload themselves....


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## Bigplower (Sep 22, 2009)

Mark Oomkes;810416 said:


> Weeeelllllll, never done it before and I wish we had the yards that did it by us, but if I were to do it, I would:
> 
> Have a loader with a scale on it like the gravel pits do.
> 
> ...


what if the loader doesn't have a scale... i mean thats a couple thousand dollar option...
need something simpler


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## jomama45 (Dec 25, 2008)

As I recall, there is a yard South of me (Waukesha area) about 45 minutes that does this exact thing. I believe they set-up a HUGE cover-all building & hold a few thousand tons of salt. I'm sure they're charging quite a bit more than what you can buy bulk for yourself, but they are always open during storms to load. For most small to mid-size operations, the cost savings in not having to store & load bulk has to be huge. Honestly, I don't think that many people even have the property to store enough bulk, driving them to bagged salt.

I'll see if I can find more info on the set-up, someone on here knows more about this place than I do I'm sure.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Bigplower;810429 said:


> what if the loader doesn't have a scale... i mean thats a couple thousand dollar option...
> need something simpler


Yah, it's called overhead, or

cost of doing business.

That way everyone is happy, the customer is getting what they are paying for, you're charging for what you bought, etc. No arguing about was that 1 yd or 1.5 yds.

I'd think a loader mounted scale would be cheaper than a truck scale.

But if you want to do it cheap, go ahead. You asked for opinions.


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## Bigplower (Sep 22, 2009)

jomama45;810432 said:


> As I recall, there is a yard South of me (Waukesha area) about 45 minutes that does this exact thing. I believe they set-up a HUGE cover-all building & hold a few thousand tons of salt. I'm sure they're charging quite a bit more than what you can buy bulk for yourself, but they are always open during storms to load. For most small to mid-size operations, the cost savings in not having to store & load bulk has to be huge. Honestly, I don't think that many people even have the property to store enough bulk, driving them to bagged salt.
> 
> I'll see if I can find more info on the set-up, someone on here knows more about this place than I do I'm sure.


Ya... i mean this year i need the salt bin for myself anyways so i thought about selling it. Eventually i'd like to be able to have someone there all night long. I doubt i will get enough customers to do that this year, but if i know 3-4 small companies that would be interested i could see how things go... the biggest thing is figuring out how to have an accurate way sell it. We have a 7,000 lbs digit scale, but it is only about 4' by 5', not enough room to drive on, and if you set the bucket on the scale all the salt would fall out...


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

jomama45;810432 said:


> As I recall, there is a yard South of me (Waukesha area) about 45 minutes that does this exact thing. I believe they set-up a HUGE cover-all building & hold a few thousand tons of salt. I'm sure they're charging quite a bit more than what you can buy bulk for yourself, but they are always open during storms to load. For most small to mid-size operations, the cost savings in not having to store & load bulk has to be huge. Honestly, I don't think that many people even have the property to store enough bulk, driving them to bagged salt.
> 
> I'll see if I can find more info on the set-up, someone on here knows more about this place than I do I'm sure.


Superior landscape supply.....they have a massive coverall building with salt, i know last year they were charging 15-20 dollars more per ton than were buying it for, They have a scale. They don't do snowplowing themselves, so they can concentrate on their salt sales in the winter time.

http://www.superiorlandscapewi.com/Salt.htm


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## jomama45 (Dec 25, 2008)

Longae29;810446 said:


> Superior landscape supply.....they have a massive coverall building with salt, i know last year they were charging 15-20 dollars more per ton than were buying it for, They have a scale. They don't do snowplowing themselves, so they can concentrate on their salt sales in the winter time.
> 
> http://www.superiorlandscapewi.com/Salt.htm


I figured if anyone would know about the place, it would be you. Thanks for posting the link (so I don't look like an idiot 'cause I couldn't find them!) :salute:

The $15-20 per ton seems extremely cheap for the small to middle sized co. when considering the overhead involved, & ensuing DNR issues.


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## Bigplower (Sep 22, 2009)

thanks for all the input!
anyone know of a good place to get a scale for a skid steer?


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## pasto_guy (Sep 17, 2003)

Just an idea but I may be way off here. Take your truck to a scale and weigh empty. Then use your skid to get one full scoop in the back and go weigh again. There is how much one bucket full will cost. Then have a minimum load of one bucket. That way if you do this when the salt is dry you have an accurate figure. When the salt is wet people will think they are getting more than what they pay for. As far as the scale goes try your local quarry or waste management site. Good luck. We too are trying to sell to other contractors this year but we have to do bags. I'm actually thinking of getting a bagging machine and ordering the salt in bulk. There are very few here that want bulk guess they stick to what they know.


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

Of the 5 locations that sell salt in our area 4 sell by the yard and the other sells by the ton. Everyone in the area knows who loads heavy and who skimps on the bucket. The guy that sells by the ton says "you pay for what you get with me and who knows what you get from them" the problem is he is $30 more per ton


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

We thought about selling liquid deicer last year since no one sold it in our area. But......we are landscapers not retailers :salute:


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## Bigplower (Sep 22, 2009)

Superior L & L;810600 said:


> Of the 5 locations that sell salt in our area 4 sell by the yard and the other sells by the ton. Everyone in the area knows who loads heavy and who skimps on the bucket. The guy that sells by the ton says "you pay for what you get with me and who knows what you get from them" the problem is he is $30 more per ton


what are they charging for salt? so i can get some ideas.


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## Superior L & L (Oct 6, 2006)

last year it was $125-$160.00


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

It's just like any other business. You have to evaluate all the factors
Demand
Competition
Income potential
Staff requirements
Startup expenses
Advertising

Think it through, on paper. It sounds like a great idea to me. If you are going to be 24 hours during the storm, does it make sense to have a guy sitting around in case someone comes by rather than plowing in a truck making money? Maybe to start, you have certain hours you are "open". After supper for an hour or two, midnight, 5 am.

What can you buy it for bulk, what can you sell it for? You probably can get a premium if you have a good location, and offer good hours. 

A scale is expensive, but the way to go probably. If I sold by volume, measuring by eye, I would be overfilling, just to be sure. I would lose my shirt. 

Another consideration is to set up some sort of barrels/hoppers, etc that are prefilled with a given volume. Pick it up, dump it in. It would be faster, and would probably come off as the fairest value to the purchaser. I know we've all left the scales thinking "that sure doesn't feel like a ton and a half" The big fishing boats up here use "totes" for bait. They're about a yard. Pick them up with a forklift, the forks are on a turntable to dump them in.


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## Bigplower (Sep 22, 2009)

Superior L & L;810615 said:


> last year it was $125-$160.00


and that is per yard?
what did YOU figure a yard weighs?


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## Bigplower (Sep 22, 2009)

2COR517;810617 said:


> It's just like any other business. You have to evaluate all the factors
> Demand
> Competition
> Income potential
> ...


this year i just want to do it as a small side thing... like at most 5 or so regular customers just to see how it goes... but i think long term a scale is necessary. Thanks for all the help tho!


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Bigplower;810625 said:


> this year i just want to do it as a small side thing... like at most 5 or so regular customers just to see how it goes... but i think long term a scale is necessary. Thanks for all the help tho!


If it's just some guys you know, don't bother with the scale, for sure. Just get a good feel for what your loader holds. Sell it at a fair price. If everyone in town starts asking about it, then you know what the potential is.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Bigplower;810622 said:


> and that is per yard?
> what did YOU figure a yard weighs?


Oh boy. I thought things were *mulch* to quiet around here tonight.

http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=84227


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

sell it by the bucket load and as far as staff goes just give out your cell # and have the customer meet you at the salt site at the same time your loading your trucks......i've thought this through for myself last year and it would be nice to do because when it's bad out were down at the bin 24/7 anyway..... BTW making $15-20 per ton would not be worth it!!!!


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

Bigplower;810541 said:


> thanks for all the input!
> anyone know of a good place to get a scale for a skid steer?


If that's what you intend on using you will limit yourself. The majority of our trucks cannot be loaded with a skid steer. Get yourself a real loader ~ and also consider a backup loader.


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## rb8484 (Aug 8, 2009)

You would have to charge sales tax as well, wouldnt you??


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## viper881 (Jan 14, 2009)

Just remember that anyone that buys from you knows that your comp. in plowing. Who wants to buy from you then?


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## MIDTOWNPC (Feb 17, 2007)

Your paying to have your loader there to load your trucks. As much as it would be nice to make a little extra on that salt by selling some, I think you are only talking about selling a few salter loads a storm which in the end you will be doing the other guy a favor my making him not have to have his own loader. His cost of doing business will be lower and well how many of your competitors do you really want to give a hand to? The local yard around here that is open during snow storms sells is by the yard, which is essentially by the bucket and its not heaping, its scooped and shaken / leveled out. Its cash and carry. Your next problem will be everyone will want credit, give me a cash deal no tax, or you will run low, have to take a new delivery yourself to make sure you have salt for your accounts, and then you wont need it and will have alot left over.


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## IMAGE (Oct 21, 2007)

Ever tought of using a tender truck?


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## leon (Nov 18, 2008)

*salt etc.*

having a dry area for salt storage is first on the list.

A scaled wieght/tonnage is the only legal tender for trade and

to avoid legal problems with the county sales tax office and

the weights and measures office you and you can have huge problems

if you do not as you are a reseller and will be required to charge sales tax;

and if someone thinks you are shafting them there is nothing preventing them

from going to the city or county and saying you are selling material without certified scales.

The only way you will be garanteed success with this is to

purchase a small wheeled conveyor or auger that has a

tippy dump scale under the spout of the conveyor.

What will be ideal for you is the smallest Wallinga grain vacuum which

minimises the mess and can load directly into the truck hopper and it fill

small trucks and large 10 wheelers with dump or spreader boxes.

The Walinga grain vac has a hopper you can either shovel into or dump

into and it is low in hieght and profile.

It would be easy enough to install a tippy dump scale to measure volume and wieght in this

instance and it it will be legal for trade and be required to be certified for use by the county

wieghts and measures department and then there would be no room for accusations

from a customer.

Scaling loads involves a lot of mechanics and use of load cells and a computer used for

same and several thousand dollars for even a small loader which will have to certified by

the wieghts and measures office in the county where you do business.

If you intend to use a skid loader which will involve less work and cost.

You will need a small digital scale which will support several tons and will be certified for trade.

the scale could be purchased stationary or portable.

The skid loader will need a fork lift attachment that can be rotated or simply dumped forward;

The forklift hoppers offered by global and others manage this very well and are easy to use

with the sloped chute and rack and pinion where the hopper is tilted and then dumps.

The hopper would be chained to the skid loader frame and easily used.

You could have several hoppers and load them with the skid loader and set them aside with a

set weight of material with the tare weight being the hopper listed on the hopper zeroed out when adjusted and

loaded and the scales will be certified with no questions of authenticity or legality; and you can

purchase a unit that prints scale tickets as well or write out your own scale tickets with the tare

wieght of the hopper used in the scale tickets total wieght portion and have no problems.

A small grain auger with a certified tippy dump scale can be employed with the dump hoppers

as well.

:waving:


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## snowtech (Sep 18, 2010)

seems risky to me if you dont have your employee run the loader and have a scape


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## fireside (Mar 1, 2008)

I help out some of the real small guys(my friends) from time to time with product. I load with a skidsteer .5 yard bucket thsy pay for half a yard plus $15 for my trouble. IF there out i'm out so it's no big deal to load them. I think it's to much trouble to load people i don't know but i always have bulk on hand and word does spread people will stop me on the road and ask to buy product.


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