When it comes to sustainability, SFA Saniflo Canada, with the support of its parent company SFA Group, takes its commitment seriously. The provision of clean water and adequate sanitation is priority number six of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the United Nations, and Saniflo has become a champion in the global push for greater sustainability and improved social outcomes for all.
Saniflo’s innovative above-floor plumbing technology, including its macerating and grinding upflush toilet systems and drain pump systems for residential and commercial applications, deliver sustainable solutions wherever water flows. As a result, the company is setting the standard for how innovative products can lay the foundation for more sustainable ways of life.
Saniflo and the SFA Group not only provide a cost-effective and time-saving alternative to traditional below-ground plumbing but also contribute to global efforts to address water poverty. Their initiatives aim to improve access to safe water for the 2.2 billion people currently facing unsafe conditions. By enhancing systems that produce clean water and working to protect and restore vital water ecosystems, they are making a significant impact worldwide.
A deeply rooted commitment to sustainability
Sustainability is built into SFA Group’s ethos and the services and product offerings of its subsidiaries, including SFA Saniflo Canada. Such principles remain top of mind as the company continues to find ways to innovate and improve on its performance, driving even greater outcomes for its clients.
Since 1958, SFA Group has sold more than eight million units worldwide thanks to the backing of 29 subsidiaries and a network of distributors, which extend its reach into nearly 80 countries. This expansive network is guided by a global approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) that has dominated the company culture since 2016. Even before this time, on a more local level, SFA Saniflo Canada took every effort to enhance the daily comfort of its customers through its innovative solutions. Now, the company continues to find ways to align its offerings with its sustainability objectives by reducing waste and optimizing resources.
Notably, its Sanicompact® line of products, which includes the Sanicompact® 4C and Sanicompact® Comfort models, are self-contained macerating toilets that promote water preservation thanks to the dual-flush system. The Sanicompact® is designed for people with physical limitations and is ideal for small spaces. They can be installed up to nine feet below the sewer line or up to 120 feet away from a soil stack and the various models can be integrated into even the most modern spaces, so they both “look good and do good” by reducing water consumption.
Innovation in action
Further to the Sanicompact® line, other innovative products are being developed at Saniflo, including a new line of sewage ejector pumps, considered the ideal replacement for pumps and new installations alike.
Sewage ejector pumps have posed challenges for plumbing contractors and homeowners for decades, including high maintenance costs, float issues, and messy repairs, notes Phil Warren, Managing Director of SFA Saniflo Canada. The Sanipit® 24 GR and GR CB offer a hassle-free and high-performance option for replacing faulty sewage pumps.
The Sanipit® 24 GR is a pre-assembled, heavy-duty retrofit insert that fits into most 24-inch basins while allowing access to all major internal components. A stainless-steel grinder blade serves both residential and commercial applications and can ensure a smooth and uninterrupted flow, which eliminates clogs and costly repairs. The pump is capable of moving refuse up to 25 feet and the product is rated IP68 and features an external control panel, a visual/audio alarm system, and a fail-proof air pressure switch system with triple redundancy.
“As sewage pumps have been a largely unchanged and problematic part of the plumbing industry for over 50 years, this solution is poised to disrupt the North American market by offering a hassle-free and high-performance option for replacing faulty sewage pumps,” says Warren.
SFA Saniflo Canada leveraged its innovative design team, extensive research and development capabilities, and vertical integration as a manufacturer to create a game-changing solution. The result is a complete pre-assembled pump design that delivers the same high level of reliability and performance as its macerator and grinder pumps. Key to this offering are the thermomagnetic motors that have been integrated into the pumps to provide superior reliability, redundancy, and peace of mind on projects for installers and engineers alike.
The Sanipit® builds on the success of the Sanicubic, a heavy-duty, above-floor pump that is not meant to be installed in existing sewage pump systems. One of the major points of difference is the ability of the Sanipit® 24 GR to create a dry cavity within the pit, which keeps the motor and other components separate from the sewage. Featuring a 2-inch discharge rubber adapter with a built-in check valve and direct access points for inspection and replacement, the Sanipit® 24 GR makes servicing a hassle- and mess-free “white glove” experience for installers and technicians.
For new construction installations, the pre-assembled Sanipit® 24 GR CB is the ultimate choice.
The Sanipit® 24 GR and Sanipit® 24 GR CB offer exceptional pumping capabilities, with the ability to move gray water up to 25 feet vertically and 328 feet horizontally with a maximum shut-off head of 33 feet. Both include a control system and a visual/audible alarm for convenience and peace of mind.
From Warren’s perspective, “Today’s home builders and mechanical specifying engineers, when comparing the specifications of various products, may find the sewage ejector market options limited. This realization drove us to innovate and disrupt the North American market by offering a hassle-free and high-performance sewage ejector option for new installations.”
By leveraging the innovative research and development capabilities of its design team, the result is a game-changer for the marketplace that will offer heightened levels of reliability and performance, which customers have come to expect from Saniflo.
“We leveraged our special expertise in this area to develop the Sanipit® in less than two years, from start to finish. Why? Because we adapted technology that has been proven successful in our other products, such as our Sanicubic® and Sanicubic® Vortex lifting stations. As a consequence, we can say with complete assurance, whether you are a plumber, a builder, or an engineer: every problem you have ever experienced with sewage ejector pumps is now solved with the new Sanipit® range.”
The Sanipit®’s design minimizes the risk of leaks and protects against groundwater infiltration and contamination, and thus, mitigates potential environmental issues and their impacts. The pumps are designed to be high-efficiency and low-maintenance, manufactured using durable, corrosion-resistant materials for added longevity and performance, which reduces the need for replacement and further contributes to the reduction of material waste, and thus, more sustainable outcomes.
A more sustainable future for all
Through the highly innovative and thoughtfully designed products that SFA Group and Saniflo bring to the market, sustainability is built into individual projects locally—but the company takes this commitment a step further through its philanthropic outreach and sustainability initiatives around the world.
From donations on World Toilet Day, to the Sulabh School Sanitation Club in Haryana, India, to its commitment to Planet Water Foundation, efforts are being made in the company’s local communities and around the world to improve water and sanitation outcomes.
In 2023, through its relationship with Planet Water Foundation, an AquaFill drinking water station was installed in the Dan Ha Primary School in Vietnam. The state-of-the-art, gravity-based water system removes pathogens to create safe drinking water and is supported by a hygiene education program that was introduced alongside the investment.
On a more local level, SFA Saniflo Canada has planted more than 2000 trees in partnership with Wearth, has donated 4000 meals to the Breakfast Club of Canada, and offers scholarships to support future leaders in the field. These efforts are part of the reason the company has managed to achieve Platinum Status with the Green Business Bureau and achieve a Bronze Medal from EcoVadis’ CSR Assessment, the world’s most trusted assessor. A Bronze Medal places SFA Group among the top 50 percent of companies evaluated—an impressive achievement and a testament to the company’s commitment to CSR.
Never resting on its laurels, Saniflo and its parent company SFA Group continue to push the limits of what is possible, setting the standard and leading by example to ensure that its products promote the very best in performance and principle—chiefly, access to clean water and adequate sanitation, ultimately making the world a better place one flush and one toilet at a time.
