Wood Pellets another lesson learnt today

[Chickcatcher]

Over the last 38 months I have ordered and had supplied close to 850 tons of wood pellets from the same supplier.
I recently ordered another load 27 tons for delivery early today 5/2/18, after 5 O'clock this evening I at last got a reply from said supplier that they wont be supplying until the 7th because they have "Contract" customers who take priority ( a class of supply I was unaware of).
Now the contract customer can ring this morning and will get a delivery today and me gets shunted into the future. So when the 7th arrives and a contract customer runs out again (cos they forget to plan there ordering) I will get pushed back again. Anyone else had this experience, or are all of you these "Contract" customers.
Apparently tomorrow I may be contacted (perhaps I will just let the phone keep ringing like the experience I have had all day today) to arrange for me to become one of these "Contract" customers.
Do I tell them to go forth and multiply?
My desperation has arisen due to a bulk feed delivery being blown into the wrong bin (not my fault)

 

[chickens and wheat]

Try http://www.surefirefuels.co.uk or https://www.afterwood.co.uk/ , dont tell me it was one those guys that let you down.

Im lucky that my pellet bins are bildabin racing green, and feed bins are collinsons galvanised, mistakes are less likely but not impossible despite the many warning stickers I have applied to the bins to prevent any nonsense.

I have noticed a sharp rise in pellet prices, allegedly due to supply and demand but easily linkable to oil prices. stories are around of suppliers running out of stock

 

[Jim75]

Did verdos not have a big flood meaning having to ditch a lot of pellets, hence the upward pressure in supply?

 

[Dman2]

Just got the invoice from Forever fuels for last load delivered Tuesday
£50 a ton up
Hardly justifiable at that

 

[Bernt]

part of the problem with the pellets is that Forest Fuels are buying everyone out and that includes CPD who have the supply plant at immingham and that is where most of the delivery companies get their pellets from. I know as i have had problems getting deliveries from forever fuels aswell, (also because i work for Forest fuels now, but on the servicing side)

 

[Dman2]

Just had a quote from Forest fuels, by hell they are dear 30% more than forever fuels

 

[akaPABLO01]

Just got the invoice

In the northwest my clients use Billington fuels for pellets.

This is what happens, summer there is surplus and reasonably priced. When I designed fuel storage I took into account winter high demand which drives up cost. You need to buy 6 months of summer. My clients have also seen hikes in cost. Buy summer and burn in winter.

 

[Hard Graft]

Go wood chip feed then you have flexibility in fuel and wood chip can be got for about 80 per ton dry with some thought

 

[Dman2]

Go wood chip feed then you have flexibility in fuel and wood chip can be got for about 80 per ton dry with some thought

Have wondered about this
Would need to alter boiler feed though

 

[Pilgrimmick]

Have wondered about this
Would need to alter boiler feed though

Depends on boiler, some can take both, will have to adjust settings on control panel, but that may be all.

 

[Dman2]

Its an auger feed
Not sure it will handle chips

 

[Pilgrimmick]

Mine is an auger feed, does chips fine.

 

[Dman2]

how do you get the chips into the store
And from the store to the boiler?

 

[Pilgrimmick]

Blown in to store

 

[Pilgrimmick]

Auger arrangement

 

[Dman2]

Are most woodchips sourced from the UK?

Assume there would be no issues with the RHI if i changed fuels

 

[Pilgrimmick]

All I thought, but not sure. Locally they are.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

RHI may affect you more regarding changing fuels that arent certified in your boiler so check that first

 

[Bernt]

Forest Fuels have also bought out Billington so i would expect their prices to go up aswell!

 

[rusty]

Reading this thread makes me glad I went for chip when I put in. My 70kw ETA boiler 4 years ago! My thought then was that if prices get silly I can always chip some of my own timber.