Our stories

The world in a word

We’ve created a new word—BioReturn™—to describe our world. From “bios”, Greek for life, and “return”, to give back. We reclaim organic materials, renew or transform them at our North American facilities, then return them to the marketplace in the form of high-demand goods. We extend the food supply value chain much farther than most people can even imagine. A feat like that deserves its own word.

Reclaim, renew and return— in a word, Sanimax.

Have a heart, and vision follows

Each year, we keep over one and a half million tons of waste out of landfills. It’s a major contribution to sustainability efforts in the three countries and 15 communities that we call home. It means the world to us. We’ve cared since our very beginnings, and even more now, when our environment needs all the attention we can give it.

Reclaim, renew and return—with heart

More than words can say

We preserved the values of our founders, through six generations of family businesses. Always, we do what’s right; we act ethically and honestly. We care—about each other, our communities and our environment. We seek better ways, finding opportunities by being restless, curious and intrusive. We innovate to transform ourselves and our business. We take action and are accountable.

Not just words—values we live by.

North America’s best role models

Stephanie’s avid learning has taken her from testing the quality of tallows in the lab to, 14 years later, designing the company’s ERP system. Becki’s invoicing team came up with a terrific idea that saves time and thousands of dollars. Enthusiastic staff, innovative teams, second-generation employees: great role models for our core values.

Reclaim, renew and return—thanks to 1,100 great employees.

Environmental liberties

Each year, we divert some three billion pounds from landfills—equal in weight to nearly 6,700 Statues of Liberty. Picture it: one quarter of all the cities, boroughs, towns and villages in North America with their own Lady Liberty. It’s a great symbol of how committed we are to saving our environment, and why we make sure our facilities exceed regulatory and environmental standards.

Reclaim, renew and return—with commitment.

The places we call home

Our communities enable Sanimax to thrive. Grateful, we reciprocate. Individually, we fundraise, volunteer and contribute to neighborhood groups. As a company, “We care”. It’s a commitment, and the name of a program that supports employees who become involved in initiatives that benefit local charities, hospitals, children’s groups and environmental organizations.

Reclaim, renew and return—home.

From twenty, one proud family

Over six generations, 20 Canadian and American family businesses came together one by one to form Sanimax. Their combined experience serving vast geographic areas gave us a big advantage for competing globally: we’re borderless. It’s our strength. Our founders’ hard work earned us a priceless asset, our good reputation. Their accumulated wisdom gave us our core values, our unwavering commitments.

An extraordinary heritage—a family of families.

Fill ‘er up, thanks to take-out

We’ve been collecting used cooking oil and grease for nearly a century. At first, we made soap with it. Then we developed it further, for animal feed. This year, we’ll reclaim 300 million pounds, much of it from North America’s favorite restaurants. Now, in addition to soap and animal feed, our processed yellow grease is also being used to produce biodiesel.

Reclaimed, renewed and returned—as clean energy.

Beer’s loss is beef’s gain

In Canada, where beer consumption approaches 110 bottles a year per person, we visit many of the major and micro breweries regularly. Our purpose: rid them of used wet grains. Once collected, we route the nutrient-rich substances to dairy farms and cattle ranches across the continent for addition to feed. Now that’s extending the food supply value chain.

Reclaimed, renewed and returned—as nourishment.

Fast tracking

Our first biodiesel refinery quickly became a reliable source of high-quality fuel for numerous businesses, including the oldest corporation in North America, the Hudson’s Bay Company founded in 1670. From trekking across the northern plains in snow shoes to zipping along the Trans-Canada highway in vehicles powered by Sanimax bio-fuels: zero to 60 mph, in 339 years... and still counting.

Reclaimed, renewed and returned—historically.

Our passion is in a red leather chair

Our heritage inspires our passion—to see just how far we can extend the food supply value chain. Here’s a vivid example: a farm animal hide is collected, graded and treated in Wisconsin; sold to a leather tannery in Asia; and, only a short while later, returned to a boutique as a gorgeous red leather chair manufactured in Italy.

Reclaimed, renewed and returned—as luxury.

Back to the future

For centuries, people have transformed animal fats and by-products into substances that could heal, clean and heat. These are our roots. We reclaim nearly three billion pounds of material a year, and render it to produce high-demand goods such as tallow and proteins for use in feed, chemicals, soap and also now, renewable fuels.

Reclaimed, renewed and returned—as clean energy.

The BioReturn^TM Company

Sanimax is the leading North American BioReturn™ company. Our business is extending the food supply value chain by returning reclaimed products as useful materials and ingredients. We collect organic materials such as animal and meat by-products and used cooking oils, and transform them into high-demand goods such as tallow, proteins, leather and biofuels. We sell our BioReturn™ products to companies around the world