Sun Drainage may be a new company in the commercial drainage industry, but the design, development and manufacturing of its products are brimming with years of experience.  “Before creating any of our five major drainage families — floor drains, floor sinks, cleanouts, roof drains and carrier fixtures — we extensively studied them from the contractors’ perspectives and all products are UPC certified,” said Rick Tobin, general manager of Sun Drainage.

“Over the years, I’ve seen too many projects suffer the results of poorly designed drainage systems. This is why we wanted Sun Drainage systems to be based on experience,” said Tobin. “We methodically researched, evaluated and tested our products to the point where contractors will quickly see how their perspectives influenced the innovative design of our drains. This is particularly true in the area of installation, saving both job time and labor costs. We launched this company,” said Tobin, smiling, “not because the industry needed another player, but because it needed innovation in product design and logistics.”

Industry revolution

Today, environmental forces are causing drainage designers and manufacturers to undergo large-scale evaluations. “Great emphasis is being placed on those in the industry to pioneer improved environmental drainage products. This type of revolutionary event opens the doors of opportunity and provides innovators, like Sun Drainage, the ability to reinvent key areas of the industry, which we have done in a variety of ways,” said Jill Kelly, the sales manager for Sun Drainage. 

“After carefully listening to industry professionals — engineers, building owners, and contractors — the reoccurring problem of suppliers’ logistics became an ongoing theme. It appears that many providers are reducing inventories and cutting corners in order to increase profits,” said Kelly.  

Customers complained of too many back orders, incomplete orders, missed delivery times and, most importantly, the lack of plain old customer service.

So while other providers are reducing inventories, which ultimately impair customers’ supply chains, we’re ramping up and making order fulfillment easier and faster.  Even our regional sales representatives will carry local inventory with the ultimate goal of providing one or same day delivery. 

To ensure its logistical advantages, Sun Drainage has a 175,000 square foot distribution center in Houston, solely for the purpose of stocking products and delivering to job sites as quickly as possible. With the central location of its DC, Sun Drainage shipments will take only three to four days to reach almost any construction site in the continental United States.   

Customer service leadership

To establish its leadership in customer service, Sun Drainage offers a cloud based enterprise system called NetSuite. It allows representatives to save time by directly placing orders rather than sending orders into offices. Plus, in the near future we will be rolling out our “on the go system” which will enable one to have the ability to login wherever they are via computer, iPad or iPhone and view available inventories, check stock, track orders, and obtain pricing. 

“We want to emphasize this system is not designed to eliminate good, solid working relationships or face-to-face meetings.  Our reps are well-educated and undergo extensive training,” said Kelly. They know the industry and the benefits of our products versus our competitors. They can educate customers with stories of those who wished they’d done things differently, supplier disasters and industry legends that have been passed down for generations. Happenings you cannot put online.” 

“There are, however growing number of individuals who expect to do everything online. This system accommodates the do-it-yourselfer or those who understand that the sales rep is still your best source of wisdom,” said Kelly. “Whether our distributors are servicing a contractor building a skyscraper or a corner strip center, providing customer visibility into inventories and orders helps them simplify and economize their supply chains. We see this as just another way Sun Drainage is innovating the industry.”  

Behind the name 

Today, with so much emphasis on the environment, the name of the company and its marketing symbolize the new days ahead in drainage products. The tagline “A New Sun Is Rising,” is both unique and interesting and geared towards the theme of creating a better tomorrow. It represents Sun Drainage’s unique perspective on the market and even its products are emblazoned with a sunray motif.  

Shaping the future

“As for the future, every new building and every refurbishment is an opportunity. While floor drains, floor sinks, cleanouts, roof drains and carrier fixtures are mainstays of commercial buildings, technology has a way of seeping into everything we do.  The time is now for a fresh look at our industry’s traditions and to say, let’s innovate,” said Tobin.

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