SFS Group: fasteners, facades, and the EPD gap
SFS is a familiar name on roofs and façades. Screws, blind rivets, and rainscreen subframe systems show up on countless bids. Yet when specifiers filter for products with Environmental Product Declarations, that hard‑earned brand recognition can hit a wall. Here is where SFS shines, where coverage is thin, and how to turn enviromental reporting into more wins.
Who SFS is
SFS Group (sfs.com) is a global hardware manufacturer best known in construction for fastening systems, blind riveting technology, and rainscreen subframe solutions. Outside of building, they also machine precision components, but this spotlight stays on the built environment.
What they sell into buildings
Typical SFS lines on a project include self‑drilling and self‑tapping screws for metal cladding, roofing fasteners and seam‑fastening systems, sealed washers and accessories, blind rivets and rivet nuts, and façade support systems for ventilated rainscreens. That is a broad portfolio that shows up from industrial sheds to high‑end offices.
How many categories and SKUs
Across envelope fasteners, rivets, and façade subframes, SFS spans multiple product families with variants by substrate, coating, head type, and corrosion class. Think several categories and easily hundreds of individual SKUs across sizes and finishes. Exact counts vary by region and channel, so treat this as directional rather than definitive.
EPD visibility today
As of December 20, 2025, we could not locate publicly listed, product‑specific EPDs for SFS’s core construction fasteners or façade subframes in the major open registries we checked. If SFS has internal or customer‑specific declarations, they were not readily discoverable for project teams. That matters when bids are screened for documented embodied‑carbon data during submittals.
Why this matters commercially
When a product lacks a product‑specific EPD, design teams often must apply conservative default factors during carbon accounting. That can tilt a like‑for‑like decision toward a product with a third‑party verified declaration, even if performance is the same. EPDs typically remain valid for five years, which makes the effort durable across many bid cycles (EPD International GPI, 2024).
A likely gap that stings: self‑drilling screws
Self‑drilling screws are a high‑volume line item for roofing and cladding. We see competitor EPDs in this exact niche, for example self‑drilling screw families available in a public program registry. That gives specifiers an easy checkbox and removes the penalty of default factors. If SFS lacks an equivalent, it risks being swapped at the submittal table even when its screw is the installer’s favorite.
Competitors SFS meets on bids
Depending on the package, SFS often faces Hilti, fischer, and regional façade‑subframe specialists. Several of these competitors publish product EPDs for anchors, mortars, firestop, or fasteners, which increases their specability in projects that prefer or require declarations. The competitive bar is rising in healthcare, education, and large commercial where carbon tracking is routine.
Rainscreen systems deserve attention next
Façade subframes and bracket systems are increasingly scrutinized because aluminum profiles and stainless fixings can dominate a façade’s embodied carbon. A system‑level EPD that covers brackets, rails, and standard fasteners can help façade engineers model trade‑offs early. It also keeps the door open when owners ask for material alternatives with verified data.
What it takes to catch up fast
Teams that move quickly pick the prevalent PCR used by competitors, define one reference year of plant data, and publish with an operator familiar to their target markets. The heavy lift is usually data wrangling across plants and coatings, not LCA modeling itself. A partner that streamlines cross‑site data pulls and manages PCR alignment will save weeks from schedules without compromising quality.
If you publish only one EPD first
Start with the self‑drilling screw family most common in roofing and wall cladding. Cover all standard lengths and coatings under one declaration for maximum SKU coverage. The win rate lift shows up where prequalification screens for verified product data, not just catalog specs. Then expand to rainscreen subframes and high‑runner blind rivets.
Bottom line for SFS watchers
SFS has the product breadth and brand trust to win bids on performance. To keep that advantage when carbon accounting is in play, visible product‑specific EPDs for fasteners and façade subframes should be next on the roadmap. One well‑scoped declaration can pay itself back quickly on even a single mid‑sized project, then keep working across many seasons because of the five‑year validity window (EPD International GPI, 2024).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which SFS product families in construction are most likely to benefit first from an EPD?
Self‑drilling screws for metal cladding and roofing, rainscreen subframe systems, and high‑runner blind rivets. These lines are high‑volume and frequently appear on projects that vet embodied‑carbon data.
Can one EPD cover many SFS SKUs?
Yes. A product‑specific EPD can cover a family of sizes and finishes if they are manufactured with the same processes and materials within defined bounds set by the PCR.
How long do EPDs stay valid?
Typically five years under common program rules, after which an update or renewal is due to reflect current data (EPD International GPI, 2024).
Which program operators are common for building product EPDs?
In the United States many manufacturers use operators like UL or Smart EPD, and in Europe operators such as IBU and EPD International are widely recognized.
About the Author
Walker Ryan is a climate-tech entrepreneur focused on driving industrial decarbonization through better data. As the founder and CEO of Parq, he helps manufacturers generate high-quality, third-party–verified carbon disclosures at scale—accelerating a traditionally slow and expensive process. Before starting Parq, Walker led over $200 million in sustainability-focused investments as VP of Strategy & Growth at ReStream Solutions, following earlier experience in investment banking at Deutsche Bank. He brings a rare mix of capital markets expertise and hands-on sustainability knowledge to tackling the infrastructure of industrial emissions.
