[Case study - 56] Sanicom 2 – Pantry drainage solution for a premium office at Saigon Centre
A global cosmetics brand needed a fully functional pantry at Saigon Centre but couldn't cut the concrete floor. Discover how Sanicom 2 solved the drainage challenge efficiently.
Key highlights
- Context: A leading global cosmetics brand was fitting out a premium office at Saigon Centre, Ho Chi Minh City.
- Challenge: The building's main drainage stack was too far from the intended pantry location, and floor cutting was strictly prohibited by building management.
- Solution: Sanicom 2 was installed directly beneath the sink to collect and transfer all pantry wastewater to the building's drainage stack — across a 20 m horizontal distance and a 3.5 m height difference — without any structural modification.
- Outcome: The pantry was fully operational with a clean, unobtrusive installation that met the building's technical requirements and the client's design standards.
When a world-class brand sets up its workspace, every detail matters — including what happens behind the sink. Here is how SFA Pumps Vietnam helped deliver a fully functional pantry at one of Ho Chi Minh City's most prestigious commercial addresses, without drilling a single hole in the floor.
The challenge
Saigon Centre is one of Ho Chi Minh City's premier Grade A mixed-use developments. When a globally recognised cosmetics brand began fitting out its new office there, the design called for a fully equipped pantry — a standard amenity for a modern, staff-focused workplace.
However, the project team quickly encountered a critical technical constraint: the building's drainage stack was located far from the planned pantry position. Installing a conventional gravity-fed drainage line would have required cutting through the reinforced concrete floor slab — something building management explicitly prohibited to protect the structural integrity and shared infrastructure of the tower.
Without an alternative drainage solution, the pantry would need to be relocated or significantly scaled back — neither of which was acceptable to the client.
The solution
SFA Pumps Vietnam recommended the Sanicom 2 — a professional-grade pumping unit engineered specifically for wastewater collection and transfer in commercial kitchens, pantries, and bar areas.
Designed to be installed directly beneath the sink unit, the Sanicom 2 has a compact footprint that integrates seamlessly into a cabinetry setup without requiring any floor modification. Its dual-motor system operates on an alternating cycle, distributing workload evenly to extend service life and ensure continuous operation. An integrated automatic control and alert system monitors the unit in real time, notifying users of any anomaly before it becomes a disruption.
For this project, the Sanicom 2 was configured to transfer wastewater from the new pantry to the building's drainage stack across:
- A horizontal run of 20 metres
- A vertical lift of 3.5 metres
These parameters are well within the unit's rated capacity, making it a reliable, project-ready solution for the spatial constraints on site. No concrete cutting, no structural intervention — just a clean, efficient installation that satisfied both the client's operational requirements and the building's technical conditions.
Results
Following installation, the pantry at the client's Saigon Centre office became fully operational as originally designed. Key outcomes included:
- No structural modification required: The installation was completed without any floor cutting or interference with the building's existing drainage infrastructure.
- Reliable wastewater collection and transfer: The Sanicom 2 consistently handles all wastewater from the pantry, delivering it to the building stack at the required distance and height.
- Minimal footprint: The under-sink placement kept the pantry area clean and uncluttered, in line with the high design standards of the office environment.
- Ease of operation: The automatic control and alert system reduces the need for manual monitoring, making daily operation straightforward for facility staff.
- Scalability: The same approach can be applied to other pantry, bar, or kitchen zones within the building should the client choose to expand its office footprint.
Conclusion
This project at Saigon Centre is a practical demonstration of how the right pumping solution can turn a rigid structural constraint into a non-issue. When conventional drainage was off the table, the Sanicom 2 provided an advanced, flexible alternative — allowing the client to move forward with their original design, on time, on spec, and without compromise.
SFA Pumps Vietnam continues to support commercial fit-out projects across the country with pumping solutions tailored to real on-site conditions, whether in high-rise offices, hospitality venues, or mixed-use developments.
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Any questions ?
The Sanicom 2 is a professional pumping unit from SFA Pumps, designed for wastewater collection and transfer in commercial settings such as office pantries, kitchens, bar counters, and catering areas. It is built to handle continuous use in high-demand environments.
In this project, the unit transferred wastewater over a horizontal distance of 20 metres and a vertical height of 3.5 metres. The Sanicom 2 is rated for greater distances depending on the installation configuration.
The unit is installed directly beneath a sink or countertop fixture and connects to standard inlet and discharge pipework. Its dual-motor alternating system and automatic alert function make it straightforward to operate and maintain with minimal technical intervention required.
Building management at Saigon Centre did not permit concrete floor cutting, which ruled out gravity-fed drainage. The Sanicom 2 transfers wastewater under pressure through a small-diameter pipe, requiring no structural modification — making it an ideal solution for buildings with restricted drainage access.
Yes. The Sanicom 2 is suitable for any zone in a commercial building that requires wastewater drainage but lacks direct access to a drainage stack — including pantries, coffee bars, staff kitchens, and catering prep areas.
Absolutely. Any office project in a tower where floor cutting is restricted — a common condition in Grade A commercial buildings across Vietnam — can benefit from the same approach. SFA Pumps Vietnam can advise on the right configuration based on the specific layout and drainage requirements of each project.
The Sanicom 2 is a professional pumping unit from SFA Pumps, designed for wastewater collection and transfer in commercial settings such as office pantries, kitchens, bar counters, and catering areas. It is built to handle continuous use in high-demand environments.
Building management at Saigon Centre did not permit concrete floor cutting, which ruled out gravity-fed drainage. The Sanicom 2 transfers wastewater under pressure through a small-diameter pipe, requiring no structural modification — making it an ideal solution for buildings with restricted drainage access.
In this project, the unit transferred wastewater over a horizontal distance of 20 metres and a vertical height of 3.5 metres. The Sanicom 2 is rated for greater distances depending on the installation configuration.
Yes. The Sanicom 2 is suitable for any zone in a commercial building that requires wastewater drainage but lacks direct access to a drainage stack — including pantries, coffee bars, staff kitchens, and catering prep areas.
The unit is installed directly beneath a sink or countertop fixture and connects to standard inlet and discharge pipework. Its dual-motor alternating system and automatic alert function make it straightforward to operate and maintain with minimal technical intervention required.
Absolutely. Any office project in a tower where floor cutting is restricted — a common condition in Grade A commercial buildings across Vietnam — can benefit from the same approach. SFA Pumps Vietnam can advise on the right configuration based on the specific layout and drainage requirements of each project.