LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Icy porch steps and slippery sidewalks. A sight we've seen a lot of this winter, and it's a sight that Milazzo Industries, based in Jenkins Township, hopes makes you say 'Uh Oh! Better Get the Qik Joe!'
"Well, obviously we've been waiting for many years for this type of weather, it's been a few years, a lot of mild winters, and God is just smiling down on us because of the amount of snow and ice that's been hitting our area and really throughout the country," said John Wesolowski, the president of Milazzo Industries.
The company was started by Wesolowski's father-in-law in 1929. It's known for making Qik Joe and other ice melt or management products.
He says with snow and ice storms around the country, he never knows what kind of call he's going to answer next.
"I just got off the phone with someone from the Carolinas, and they don't have a clue on what to do with this kind of weather," added Wesolowski.
It's calls like that that keep his employees working hard, filling personal and commercial orders.
"They're very busy obviously everyone's working overtime. We're working seven days a week, just to maintain our customers' supply," continued Wesolowski.
In the 20 minutes that Newswatch 16 was there, we saw three different clients picking up product, and they tell us they've been here a little more often than they'd like.
"Oh, God, I can't keep track," said James Erwine of Luzerne, picking up an order for Luzerne Lumber. "I'm usually here about every other week or so, a couple times a day half the time. They're always picking something up."
While some of these delivery drivers see the upcoming storm as a headache, Wesolowski says, "keep them coming."
"Well, probably for him, it's good for him. Yeah," laughed Nevin Garvick, a delivery driver from Hanover, Pennsylvania, picking up an order. "Just makes extra stuff for us to haul, though, oh that's all."
Besides retail outlets around our area, these products are available online here.