Debate: Increasing Delivery Production

[Chris(Glen)]

I am running into an issue all of a sudden getting enough wood done in a weekend (managed to get 17 cord out this weekend) for my side business. I am having a debate of how to increase my delivery production. I know either way I am going to have to have a second person so my Mulitek 2025 doesn't stop working well I am gone.

My issue is well gone during deliveries I am not getting any wood split. I am currently running 1 F550 with dump body doing 2 cord at a time, some of the deliveries only take an hour, but due to where I am splitting the wood at most are over the hour mark. I am debating if I should add another truck of similar size (requiring me to save more), add a larger truck (3 cord truck), or sell my current truck & purchase 2 or more trailers while picking up a used 3/4 or 1 ton which I could finance as I am currently only running my company vehicle as a personal truck also (god love free fuel).

Let me know what you guys think, I would like to try and keep the wood business to just the weekends leaving the week nights free for the girlfriend and down time due to working from 5am until atleast 6 daily at the day job.

 

[Chris(Glen)]

Yep, that is pretty pitiful production.


Maybe give the employee a raise?

Thats with me doing it myself lol so I guess I will fire myself. I find the killer is being gone for the delivery with having only one vehicle.

 

[unclemoustache]

Get some kids! The best way to increase productivity is to be reproductive!!


But that takes a while to get them raise up to where they're worth anything, and it looks like you haven't the time for that. Since this is just a side job, I suggest you stick with what you have and be content. It would take quite a while to sell enough wood to make up for the difference in cost of a new vehicle.


Lemme tell you a little parable:

A poor fisherman pulled his boat into shore and began unloading the day's catch. A rich man was walking by and asked him why he was finishing so early. Poor man said he caught enough for the day and was going home to spend the rest of the day with his family. Rich man said he ought to stay out as long as he could to get as much as he could. Fisherman asked why. Rich man said then he could sell more fish and buy a second boat. Poor man asked what he needed a second boat for. Rich man said that he could hire someone to use the second boat and catch more fish for him. Then he could make even more money, buy a few more boats, get a few more employees, and really rake in the money. Poor man asked why he would want to do all that. Rich man said, "so you can have all you need to take life easy."
Poor man said, "That's what I'm already doing."

 

[Chris(Glen)]

unclemoustache very wise words, I left my job of working the oil fields to work closer to home. This is a side job currently, if it got big enough I would likely end up leaving the day time gig and go do this full time as I enjoy it a lot more. So I do want to grow my business. There are a few large producers slowly falling out of the game around here and everyone is hard up for wood. I believe 2 older gentlemen passed away this winter and people are stuck trying to find a supplier, my phone has been ringing off the hook. I would rather not turn down business, I am not in it to get rich just enjoy what I do and if it was able to come full time that'd be awesome in the long run. I am looking at a way to increase production yet keep the time down to enjoy life.

 

[philoshop]

I'm not in the business myself, but I would think a good trailer would be the most economical choice if you have the truck to pull it safely.
Maybe a dump trailer! Like running two dump trucks down the road at the same time. :msp_thumbup:

 

[Chris(Glen)]

I'm not in the business myself, but I would think a good trailer would be the most economical choice if you have the truck to pull it safely.
Maybe a dump trailer! Like running two dump trucks down the road at the same time. :msp_thumbup:

I can't legally scale that. Also still leaves me the issue of being gone and not having the processor producing wood.

 

[7sleeper]

I can't legally scale that. Also still leaves me the issue of being gone and not having the processor producing wood.

My initial thought was also a dump trailer. And it would be easy to deliver the wood in the later time of the day where it would be your last run before being at home and following unclemoustache's advice.....

7

 

[john taliaferro]

teach the girl to drive then buy her a pink truck and dump trailer ?

 

[Chris(Glen)]

teach the girl to drive then buy her a pink truck and dump trailer ?

All too funny, the girl friends father and I work in tandem (he's a forester) We have joked about getting her to drive the F550 and even painting it pink, but she isn't taking to that ideal too well lol

 

[sunfish]

Be careful growing, I've watched guys expand only to have more expense and no extra profit when said and done. If you like it better than your day job, do it full-time, life's too short and stuff to be doing something you don't like.

Oh yeah, and put the girl to work! :msp_smile:

 

[Chris(Glen)]

Be careful growing, I've watched guys expand only to have more expense and no extra profit when said and done. If you like it better than your day job, do it full-time, life's too short and stuff to be doing something you don't like.

Oh yeah, and put the girl to work! :msp_smile:

I would but I am not large enough to pay the bills yet, which sorta trumps the fun vs not fun card. I did a fair amount of wood last year and I am on par to almost triple that in just my second year in business.

I am watching my costs (what I do at the day time gig for a construction company). I am thinking I may go trailer route due to avoiding the high insurance and commerical vehicle registration, but am looking for others input on the idea to see what some of you more seasoned guys/gals would suggest.

I have found lots of great information on this site and was hoping it could make my next move a wise one.

 

[zogger]

Over and over again I have seen this on this site. Either go full time, or stay small. In between is a money and time pit.

One or two steps larger dump truck seems the best compromise. 50% or 100% more per delivery would speed things up the most, albeit, your customers take at least 3 or 4 cords at a time. That will double your delivery rate for the same driving time.

Whether or not you can bump up truck size and afford it and still make money only you can answer in your area, no idea on prices, etc. Paid off equipment makes you more than having to pay a note. Both will require maintenance and repairs.

 

[haveawoody]

Chris(Glen),

The easiest way to solve the delivery problem is don't deliver.
Sounds like a silly solution but if you offer a better price for self pickup quite a few of the people you deliver to will opt to pick it up themselves.

You will still have to deliver loads but not in the quantity you are now.

 

[Chris(Glen)]

Thanks Zogger,

I guess it's all relative of what each person would consider small. Most "small" guys here do under 30 cord a year, I am doing that in 2 weeks well working full time. I agree go full time or stay small but the end goal for myself is to get large enough to go full time.

The average cord is going for around $200 a cord split & delivered (varies 25$ either way depending on the person), price of fuel is the killer and truck registration is out right crazy. I have a lot of in town customers who take 2 cord, most are getting up into 3 & 5 due to the length of winter around here.



haveawoody,

currently that isn't an option for my as the business is set up at the inlaws and they do not want random people coming into their yard at all times.

 

[sunfish]

Over and over again I have seen this on this site. Either go full time, or stay small. In between is a money and time pit.

One or two steps larger dump truck seems the best compromise. 50% or 100% more per delivery would speed things up the most, albeit, your customers take at least 3 or 4 cords at a time. That will double your delivery rate for the same driving time.

Whether or not you can bump up truck size and afford it and still make money only you can answer in your area, no idea on prices, etc. Paid off equipment makes you more than having to pay a note. Both will require maintenance and repairs.

This is what I was saying. Go big, or stay small. The in-between will eat you up!

 

[Chris(Glen)]

I understand the debate of stay small or go big. But I am comfortable with how it is going and would like if someone could possibly give their opion on the options I have asked about not if I should stay small or "go big or go home" sorta deal.

 

[zogger]

I understand the debate of stay small or go big. But I am comfortable with how it is going and would like if someone could possibly give their opion on the options I have asked about not if I should stay small or "go big or go home" sorta deal.

Your two cord delivery size customers are covered, so you need a larger..anything..for the 3 to 5 cord deliveries, so it is one stop. Don't know which is your preference there, large dump trailer or just another much larger truck. Depends on how fast and easy it is for you to disconnect dump trailer after that is empty, then dump the truck bed load as well.

You are seriously knocking out the volume already, are you just buying triaxle loads and processing it? I can't see you doing this and cutting all that wood and getting it out of the woods as well, part time.

You also didn't say if you are cutting green and processing now for burning this winter or not, or if you have a mountain of rounds now or splits that have been hanging out a year or more. You are running out of seasoning time if you are processing and delivering green, and you may be able to deliver volume, but it won't be worth much to your customers if it is only half seasoned when they go to burn it..

 

[chaikwa]

I think if it were me, I'd be looking for a retired guy to run the processor on an 'as needed' basis. It might take a little time to train him on it to a point where you're both comfortable, but I bet there are a few guys around looking to do SOMETHING instead of sitting at home waiting to die!

 

[Chris(Glen)]

Your two cord delivery size customers are covered, so you need a larger..anything..for the 3 to 5 cord deliveries, so it is one stop. Don't know which is your preference there, large dump trailer or just another much larger truck. Depends on how fast and easy it is for you to disconnect dump trailer after that is empty, then dump the truck bed load as well.

You are seriously knocking out the volume already, are you just buying triaxle loads and processing it? I can't see you doing this and cutting all that wood and getting it out of the woods as well, part time.

You also didn't say if you are cutting green and processing now for burning this winter or not, or if you have a mountain of rounds now or splits that have been hanging out a year or more. You are running out of seasoning time if you are processing and delivering green, and you may be able to deliver volume, but it won't be worth much to your customers if it is only half seasoned when they go to burn it..

I think I would have to get larger truck along with a trailer to get the 5 cord, unless I am misunderstanding the weight limits with trucks & trailers. It would be very taxi'ing on the truck to haul 5 cord at once so I would have to upgrade to a much larger truck which carries a lot larger price tag.

I purchase the wood log length from my father in law as he is a forester, sorta help the entire fam out deal. I am getting as many customers around here as possible buying early in the season. I do not have a huge stock pile right now as its flying as fast as I can split it and get it delivered. Most guys around here are selling green wood in December as seasoned (scary sh*t). I do inform people that it will not burn to its full potentional by any means unless purcahsed early in the year. The plan for this season is to get a bunch more done up soon to season for when people run out then purchase a large qty of logs this winter to sell next season. I could not have predicted my sales jumping to the level they are at already.

 

[Steve NW WI]

Zogger, bigger trucks than he's running now get into big money and big legal/insurance/etc. requirements, along with being harder to get around in residential areas with.

I think if it were me, I'd be looking for a retired guy to run the processor on an 'as needed' basis. It might take a little time to train him on it to a point where you're both comfortable, but I bet there are a few guys around looking to do SOMETHING instead of sitting at home waiting to die!

That's the side I'm on, either hire a driver or processor operator, and stick with one truck. I assume you have a loader to fill the processor, the processor can run onto the ground while the truck is gone, and when he gets back it's a quick load with the bucket.

It's really a tough call to make, but it sounds like you might be in a prime situation to jump off the deep end and go full time.