As a smaller operation, Elijah Stiner, owner of Stiner Brothers based in Piedmont, Okla., says his experience buying ice melt is a bit different than it is for larger companies. Primarily a fencing contractor, his company also offers landscape maintenance, commercial snow removal and more. Stiner Brothers has an annual revenue of about $500,000. They have five to seven full-time employees on staff year-round.
He only uses calcium chloride, available in bags from big box stores such as Home Depot and Lowe’s, and uses his contractor discount of 10 to 15 percent off, depending on the store. He doesn’t qualify for the minimum order amounts ice melt suppliers require.
“We just try to have what we used the year before on hand. That’s pretty much our rule,” Stiner says.
Stiner says they did the same this year, but a mild winter left him with about 4,500 pounds of product.
He will use it next winter. If planning for a harsh winter, or if in the midst of one, Stiner offers a few tips.
“Be the first one at the store, get up early,” he says.
Stiner will call ahead to every store before showing up. Last year the product was put in stores as early as September, he adds. In addition, sometimes it’s marked down at the end of the season.
“If you can afford to, buy it in bulk and store it,” he says. “It’s always better to have more than not be able to have any.”