Imported kiln dry logs ?

[Logsnstuff]

Agreed. A business needs to make economic sense regardless of whether government funding is available or not.

 

I am slightly worried about the number of times we've agreed on things in the past few days TCD!

 

Beyond that, all this debate as to what constitutes seasoned/kiln dried (in terms of moisture content) only reaffirms my belief that the sale of seasoned firewood is nonsense. Fell it, cut it, split it, let the customer assume the responsibility of seasoning it. They save money, you save money, everyone wins. It's only because we're a country of short termist numpties that this isn't drilled into us.

 

Seriously though, I wonder if the lack of any understanding regarding the burning, seasoning and storage of firewood is down to the fact that it's not actually something that has traditionally been done on any scale. Forest cover is now 11.8% across the UK, which is the highest it's been since 1750 (twice what it was during the First World War). Even then, it's less than 1/3 of the EU average of 35%. The British have historically had access to abundant quantities of cheap coal, whereas our European neighbours have always had abundant access to cheap wood (and an amenable climate to dry it). Perhaps we are just used to being short termist (ie, we've run out of coal, better call the coal man). This is definitely an area where we ought to be more European!

 

We tried it in the early days people just are not interested, about 5 years ago our database was around 600 customers we offered 30% off in april and we got 11 orders so it's not even the money.

[Big J]

We tried it in the early days people just are not interested, about 5 years ago our database was around 600 customers we offered 30% off in april and we got 11 orders so it's not even the money.

 

Firewood customers really are blithering idiots in this country. If the heating oil companies offered 30% off for orders in spring and summer, they'd be inundated.

 

I'm glad I don't sell much firewood!

[Big J]

Perhaps the education of customers needs to start with the stove retailers. Instead of specifying kiln dried hardwood only, they could explain the benefits (both in terms of cost and quality) of drying your own firewood, as well as explaining that there is no golden timber species. Hardwood, softwood, it doesn't matter. It just needs to be dry.

 

I honestly believe that 90% of firewood customers have the capacity to store a year's supply of logs on their property. Quite why they don't is beyond me. I've not headed into a winter with anything less than a winter's worth of logs for over 5 years now.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Firewood customers really are blithering idiots in this country. If the heating oil companies offered 30% off for orders in spring and summer, they'd be inundated.

 

I'm glad I don't sell much firewood!

 

And another agree with that

[Woodworks]

Firewood customers really are blithering idiots in this country. If the heating oil companies offered 30% off for orders in spring and summer, they'd be inundated.

 

I'm glad I don't sell much firewood!

 

Most of our customers claim to not to have the space to store a whole seasons logs. To be fair for many this is true but for some it's just they have other priorities. Who wants to knock out loads of cheap wet logs anyway?

[Big J]

Most of our customers claim to not to have the space to store a whole seasons logs. To be fair for many this is true but for some it's just they have other priorities. Who wants to knock out loads of cheap wet logs anyway?

 

Don't think of them as cheap wet logs. Think of them as best value for your customer and least hassle/handling (and theoretically best profit) for you.

 

Similar situation with sawn timber for me now. I used to do lots of kiln dried timber, trying to accommodate everyone with a broad variety of species, thicknesses and other variables. Customers would come, take one, two or perhaps 10 boards. High profit percentage, but overall a lot of work and hassle. These days, I still maintain a kiln dried stock, but mostly cut bulk softwood and hardwood to order. Orders are usually hundreds or thousands of boards, at a lower margin, but more profit overall.

 

I think that the same principle would be most profitable if it was workable with firewood. Rather than selling single bulk bags for £120, I'd rather sell 50 at £60. But I'd rather not bag them, as it's inefficient. There are enough larger scale users to justify this approach, and I believe that a lot more people would order in bulk if they understood the cost benefits to them. Or perhaps they wouldn't and they are just blithering idiots!

[JohnSlogs]

No up North

[Woodworks]

Cant see how selling wet logs cheap is best for profit. The cord costs the same, processing and delivery are the same. Yes I save a lot of space and an extra handling process but for us that's where the profit is.

[ash_smith123]

Don't think of them as cheap wet logs. Think of them as best value for your customer and least hassle/handling (and theoretically best profit) for you.

 

 

 

Similar situation with sawn timber for me now. I used to do lots of kiln dried timber, trying to accommodate everyone with a broad variety of species, thicknesses and other variables. Customers would come, take one, two or perhaps 10 boards. High profit percentage, but overall a lot of work and hassle. These days, I still maintain a kiln dried stock, but mostly cut bulk softwood and hardwood to order. Orders are usually hundreds or thousands of boards, at a lower margin, but more profit overall.

 

 

 

I think that the same principle would be most profitable if it was workable with firewood. Rather than selling single bulk bags for £120, I'd rather sell 50 at £60. But I'd rather not bag them, as it's inefficient. There are enough larger scale users to justify this approach, and I believe that a lot more people would order in bulk if they understood the cost benefits to them. Or perhaps they wouldn't and they are just blithering idiots!

 

 

You need to stop saying selling unseasoned logs at £60 is more profitable than selling the same logs at £120. Twice I've given you the simple figures of if I sold 1500 cubic metres of your £60 unseasoned and my £120 kiln dried and it was £75k up PER YEAR.

 

There will always be the customers who ring early in the year for fresh cut stuff, there will always be people who are happy to trawl through the forest for logs to cut up themselves. There will always be customers who think kiln dried is nonsense and "burn too quick". There will always be customers for you air dried guys that sell what you do and there will always be customers that are happy to buy and burn my 30% logs. There will always be people who want kiln dried firewood and they are adamant they want kiln dried. Customers that are happy with softwood, others that only want hardwood. Some who want a loose tipped load, others who want it in nets and others who want us to stack it. I don't know why they are blithering idiots if they want dry logs ready to burn to turn up on their driveway!

We live in a time that Tesco will deliver your shopping to your kitchen! People can't be arsed to go to the shop anymore!

[the village idiot]

Cant see how selling wet logs cheap is best for profit. The cord costs the same, processing and delivery are the same. Yes I save a lot of space and an extra handling process but for us that's where the profit is.

 

Also, although I see where Big J is coming from (people taking responsibility for their own seasoning/attaining 30%MC:biggrin:), I doubt there are that many customers who are willing to buy in the sort of bulk he is talking about.