Navigating the Winter Salt Shortage:

Snow & Ice Management in Central Ohio

How We’re Protecting Clients This Winter

This winter has tested the snow and ice management industry in ways we haven’t seen before. Across the Midwest, salt shortages, rising material costs, and ongoing supply chain disruptions have created unprecedented challenges for contractors and property managers alike.

At EMI, we began planning months in advance to protect our clients from uncertainty. Through in-house brine production, diversified supplier relationships, and strategic inventory management, our team has worked relentlessly behind the scenes to secure materials, adapt application strategies, and keep safety and accessibility at the forefront for commercial properties across Central Ohio.

Why This Winter Has Been So Challenging

Salt planning typically begins in June, with contracts finalized by the end of July. These contracts are based on historical winter averages, forecasted conditions, projected growth, and anticipated service expansion. Even then, contracted salt is not guaranteed—municipalities always take priority.

This year, that reality hit hard. After a difficult winter last season, municipalities secured a larger share of available salt early in the year, before mines and transportation systems could ramp up production and delivery. When winter arrived fast, hard, and early, supply was depleted almost immediately. As a result, our first salt contract was cut off just two weeks into December, with the second ending the week before Christmas.

The challenges were regional but especially severe across the Midwest. Once local suppliers prioritized municipalities, commercial contractors like us were forced to source materials from far beyond Ohio.

The Logistics No One Sees

Securing salt locally is typically a one-day operation—but this winter, that hasn’t been an option.

Instead, our team has coordinated multi-week sourcing efforts from as far away as Kansas, Canada, and even overseas, navigating complex logistics including legal trucking limits, sleeper truck requirements, driver accommodations, and significantly higher transportation costs. What normally takes a day can now take up to three weeks of careful coordination.

Salt prices have increased as much as six times compared to typical years, and availability changes daily. To stay ahead, our team has leveraged decades of industry relationships, tracked barges from Egypt and Canada, used satellite imagery to identify ports receiving shipments, and in some cases absorbed upfront costs to secure future supply opportunities.

All of this occurs with the understanding that government agencies can seize salt stockpiles at any time if conditions worsen, making proactive planning and strategic sourcing more critical than ever.

Investing in Solutions: Brine and Smarter Planning

Because we saw these challenges coming, we made a significant investment in brine production.

This season, we built a dedicated brine facility complete with a mixer and large-capacity storage tanks. To date, we’ve already produced over 200,000 gallons of brine.

Brine plays a critical role in reducing reliance on traditional rock salt. When used for pretreating, it helps prevent snow and ice from bonding to pavement, allowing us to use less material overall while maintaining safer, cleaner sites. Brine also reduces bounce and scatter, improves effectiveness at lower temperatures, and minimizes environmental impact.

Even more importantly, we can customize our brine blends based on storm conditions—whether that means adjusting for extreme cold or creating a less corrosive, more environmentally conscious solution. This level of adaptability comes directly from our team’s technical training and ongoing education within the snow and ice industry.

Expertise Behind the Scenes: Matt and Our Certified Snow Team

Our winter services are guided by years of experience and industry certification. Matt Brewer, Fleet and Facilities Manager, oversees salt and brine production and ensures operations run smoothly.

Matt’s expertise spans decades in snow and ice management, including sourcing, logistics, and strategic planning. He holds an ASM (Advanced Snow Manager) certification, and several members of our snow team hold the same distinction. In total, our snow leadership team includes five ASMs, with two team members also holding CSP (Certified Snow Professional) certifications. This reflects EMI’s commitment to professional development and delivering safe, efficient winter services.

Planning Ahead:

Proactive Snow and Ice Management

This winter reinforced an important lesson: snow and ice management cannot be reactive.

We are committed to:

Building salt stockpiles early, during summer and fall
Encouraging clients to adopt brine pretreatment
Planning proactively to reduce reliance on last-minute solutions

By combining careful planning, responsible material use, and in-house brine production, EMI ensures properties remain safe, accessible, and well-maintained, even during unpredictable winters.

Need Reliable Winter Services?

Snow and ice management is more than plowing—it’s about strategic material sourcing, proactive planning, and safety. EMI’s certified snow professionals provide:

Commercial snow and ice management
Strategic salt and brine sourcing
In-house brine production and application
Customized winter service plans

Protect your property this winter. Contact EMI today to create a winter service plan that keeps your property safe, accessible, and protected all season long.

Contact EMI