Regulatory compliance. An integral part of the Pentair package.
Shining the light on another busy year for a busy team
How do you choose a product? Quality, reliability, availability and, of course, price all score high in procurement surveys. Surprisingly few mention ‘regulatory compliance’. Possibly because it can be taken for granted – especially in the highly regulated water treatment industry in which we operate.
But, buyer beware. Conformity to the myriad of European Directives, Regulations and Standards might be an over-assumption – especially if you are importing products from distant shores. Also consider that, unless a manufacturer has a legal entity within your country, as the product’s seller, you bear legal responsibility for its regulatory compliance and all the inherent risks that bestows.
That is part of the reason for the insistence on Pentair by so many European water treatment professionals. Pentair remains the only substantive European manufacturer of water treatment components to retain a dedicated regulatory team – dedicated, that is, to ensuring the products you sell and install locally are fully compliant with local requirements.
Pentair experts navigate the waters of European regulation
Heading up the European compliance team in Pisa is Global Regulatory Manager, Marco Simone. “The importance of maintaining regulatory compliance across our product portfolio cannot be understated,” he asserts. “Never be fooled into thinking it is a box ticking exercise! Above all, it represents our assurance that drinking water will be clean, safe and free from contamination. And that ultimately boils down to trust and confidence in Pentair and our products.”
“In Europe, our industry is governed by many national regulations and international directives that are constantly evolving. With the vast Pentair portfolio of materials and products, simply keeping up-to-date is a full-time job. In Europe we have hundreds of products certified for residential and commercial use, with many of those coming up for renewal each year. However, we have made some great strides in 2023.”
New certifications achieved in 2023
“This year we were delighted to announce that some of our main tank and valve ranges, including our flagship valves Fleck 5600 and 5800, now comply with the Drinking Water Directive requirements, having met the stringent German UBA evaluation criteria,” continues Marco. “This important seal of approval has also been met by our Foleo and Evolio water softeners.”
Maintaining so many certifications and compliance conformities is no small achievement for this small, yet highly qualified, team and represents payback for the hundreds of thousands of Euros invested every year by Pentair in this area. “Inevitably in a small team we develop our specialisms,” explains Marco. “Some on drinking water legislation, others on electrical compliance and so on. We also work on supporting Pentair customers with their own compliancy needs. For example, in 2023 we managed the entire certification process for the softeners of a UK partner. That included testing, reporting and communicating with the awarding agency, WRAS, on its behalf. It’s all part of the value we can bring to the customer.” Marco holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering and other team members hold PhDs and Masters’ qualifications in chemistry and related disciplines.
Marco is also pleased to see a growing synergy between his European team and its counterpart in the USA. “Our local operation mirrors the Pentair North American Regulatory Team, though of course they have their own local regulations and manufactured products to consider,” says Marco.
The regulatory landscape never stands still. Neither does Pentair.
2024 looks no less busy for Marco and his team. The EU is looking to further harmonise its drinking water regulations and that will undoubtedly have impact on the regulatory landscape across the continent. Meanwhile, Pentair has an active programme of new product development and that too demands the attention of the regulatory team. However, of one thing we can all be sure – they will spare no effort to ensure that, by choosing Pentair products, you choose to keep pace with European regulations.
