EPDs for Aluminium in Europe: The data-based guide
If 2026 is the year you plan to win more specs with aluminium products, this guide shows where the market already is and where it is heading. We mapped who is publishing, which PCRs dominate, when expiries hit, and how to choose a path that shortens time to a publishable EPD without drama.
Europe’s aluminium EPD snapshot at a glance
Aluminium manufacturers in Europe published 84 currently valid EPDs over the last five years, produced by 54 distinct manufacturers and verified by 7 program operators. That is a lean market with a lot of one‑offs and a handful of multi‑EPD players. The latest issue we saw was on Jul 2, 2024 for FRÄNKISCHE Rohrwerke’s “Kabuflex R plus 450 co2ntrol” under IBU, expiring on Jul 2, 2029.
What this means commercially is simple. If your aluminium or aluminum product appears in competitive tenders that award points for product‑specific EPDs, you are already competing head to head with more than fifty peers who can attach a verified PDF to their submittal. Projects that track embodied carbon often assign conservative default values without a product EPD, which can make even a strong product look heavy.
Who publishes aluminium EPDs in Europe
Program operator share in this category is concentrated, which matters for speed, templates, and reviewer availability.
- EPD International AB handled 34 EPDs across 22 manufacturers, a broad base that signals comfort for specifiers and steady reviewer capacity. That is roughly 40 percent of all aluminium EPDs in this dataset.
- EPD Hub follows with 25 EPDs across 13 manufacturers, near 30 percent, often attractive for system and profile makers that want EN 15804 alignment without reinventing forms.
- ICMQ SpA is third with 16 EPDs across 12 manufacturers, a strong Italy footprint and credible for rolled and extruded products.
- IBU managed 6 EPDs across 4 manufacturers. EPD Italy, INIES, and ift Rosenheim each show a single EPD.
The important nuance is diversity. EPD International’s and EPD Hub’s counts are not dominated by one company, which tells us these routes are used by multiple competitors, not just a captive publisher. If your category is crowded, aligning with the operator used by spec‑adjacent rivals can remove comparability arguments during reviews.
Which PCRs writers actually use
Fifteen distinct PCRs appear in the past five years. Three families do most of the heavy lifting.
- EPD Hub Core PCR v1.0 shows 25 EPDs, with expiries running through Dec 12, 2028. This is the workhorse for many window, door, and facade systems.
- PCR 2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804+A2) variants show 12 EPDs in version 1.3.3 with expiries through Dec 21, 2028, plus 8 in version 1.2.5 and 3 EPDs in another A2 variant.
- “Unknown PCR” appears on 14 EPDs with expiries as far out as Jul 2, 2029. In practice, these are often operator‑specific Part B documents that were not consistently labeled on publication.
Specialized options exist. PCR 2022:08 Basic aluminium products and special alloys appears on 3 EPDs with expiries to Oct 5, 2028. “Part B: EPD requirements for aluminum and aluminum alloy products” shows 3 EPDs expiring Dec 18, 2028. If you produce billets, slabs, or sheet with known recycled content targets, these two can be a match.
How to choose. Start with the competitive landscape and your target spec pathway, then check expiry timing. If your preferred PCR sunsets in 2027, publishing in early 2026 still buys multiple selling seasons before renewal friction shows up. Most operators set five‑year validity windows for product EPDs, which defines the renewal cadence you should plan into budgets and roadmaps (EPD International GPI, 2024) (EPD International GPI, 2024).
Issuance trend in five years
Issuance peaked in 2022 and 2023. The low 2024 count likely reflects registry lag rather than a real slowdown, since we still see new issues in mid 2024.
| Year | EPDs issued |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 16 |
| 2022 | 35 |
| 2023 | 31 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 0 |
If your sales team says “we dont see demand,” show them 2022 and 2023. Your competitors did see it, and they published.
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The renewal horizon to 2029
Plan ahead so sales and submittals never pause. Here is the upcoming expiry profile for current aluminium EPDs in Europe.
- 2026 shows 19 expiries, including CEN EN 15804 references and multiple packaging PCRs.
- 2027 climbs to 28 expiries, with heavy counts under EN 15804 A2 families and EPD Hub.
- 2028 is the largest wave with 31 expiries, driven by EPD Hub Core PCR v1.0 and several aluminium‑specific Part B documents.
- 2029 drops to 2 expiries.
If you already hold an EPD that matures in 2026 or 2027, budget a refresh now. If you are starting from zero, target a PCR with expiries far enough in the future that your first renewal lands after multiple bid cycles. Many operators confirm five‑year validity per issue, so a late 2026 publication typically carries you into late 2031 barring programme changes (EPD International GPI, 2024) (EPD International GPI, 2024).
Who is publishing, by name
The aluminium field is wide rather than tall. Most manufacturers published a single EPD. A few standouts carry larger portfolios.
- Peikko Finland Oy leads with 5 EPDs.
- Norstal Steel Structure posted 4.
- COLMA, Aluminium‑Werke Wutöschingen, Aurubis Finland, RAFFMETAL, Colacem, and Sotech each show 3.
Fifty‑four manufacturers together account for 84 EPDs, which is about 1.6 EPDs per manufacturer. That ratio signals an opportunity. If you compete with multi‑SKU systems, consolidating variants under one declaration or publishing a small family can cover more of your catalog without slowing revenue work.
Operator choice and comparability in practice
Operator selection is not just about logo placement. Review time, template familiarity, and cross‑border recognition influence both speed and adoption by specifiers. EPD International AB and EPD Hub together account for roughly 70 percent of aluminium EPDs in this dataset. Selecting one of these can simplify benchmarking against peers already present in European tenders.
ICMQ’s share shows the Italian market is active with national reviewers and still produces EN 15804‑aligned outputs. IBU’s smaller count here does not reflect its overall European weight in other product categories, so German projects remain comfortable with IBU publications.
How often teams use an EPD consultant
Out of 84 aluminium EPDs, 53 were produced with an external EPD service provider or consultant. That is about 63 percent, which mirrors what we see across many construction categories. The reason is simple. A white‑glove partner takes on data wrangling for utilities, alloys, scrap streams, transport, and end‑of‑life scenarios so engineering can keep working on production goals. If you want an example of this model, see Parq.
A quick budgeting trick. Treat the EPD as a one‑time enablement cost that unlocks more opportunities in projects that assign embodied carbon credits or penalties. Even one mid‑sized facade or enclosure package can offset the full EPD effort when it removes a barrier to selection.
Notably absent names and what to make of it
Hydro, Novelis, Speira, and Reynaers are active in the public registry with aluminium EPDs that apply to European projects. Two large producers did not surface with current product EPDs in our search as of Jan 16, 2026.
- Constellium did not appear with a current product EPD in the public registry we checked. They may be publishing in other categories or using plant LCAs that are not registered as product EPDs.
- AMAG Austria Metall also did not appear with a current product EPD in the same registry window. As with Constellium, this may reflect category selection or publication timing.
If you compete with these companies on specific product lines and need apples‑to‑apples numbers in submittals, publish now using the dominant PCR in your niche. Where a rival lacks a registered EPD, your verified declaration often becomes the baseline that shapes project assumptions.
Picking a lane in 2026 without wheel‑spin
Here is a simple route that lines up with how aluminium EPDs actually get done in Europe.
- Map your competitive set and the operators they use in the last three years. Prioritize EPD International AB, EPD Hub, or ICMQ if your peers cluster there, since reviewers and templates will feel familiar to specifiers.
- Choose the PCR that fits both your product and your renewal horizon. If you must ship in Q2 2026, avoid PCRs due for revision in 2027 so your sales team is not revisiting numbers sooner than needed.
- Co‑design the data plan with your consultant. Decide the reference year, alloy families, recycled content claims, and plant boundary upfront. This is where speed comes from.
- Publish and equip sales. EPDs should be easy to find on your website and in bid packages, with a one‑page explainer for non‑technical buyers.
Final notes and how to get the full dataset
This article uses counts from the global public registry of EPDs used by most architects and specifiers. Due to loading delays, part of the last half of 2025 may not be visible yet in those feeds. If you want the full up‑to‑date background data behind these charts and tables, connect with me on LinkedIn and send a message. I am happy to share the details and jump on a quick call to help you pick the best‑fit PCR and program operator based on your competitive set.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which program operators are most common for aluminium EPDs in Europe from 2021 to 2025?
EPD International AB and EPD Hub together handle about 70% of the aluminium EPDs in this dataset, followed by ICMQ with a notable Italy footprint, then IBU and a few single‑EPD appearances by others.
What PCRs should an aluminium manufacturer consider first in 2026?
Start with EPD Hub Core PCR v1.x and PCR 2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804+A2) since they account for the majority of recent EPDs. For billets, slabs, and alloys, consider PCR 2022:08 Basic aluminium products and special alloys or operator Part B documents.
When should we plan for EPD renewal?
Most operators set five‑year validity windows, so a late‑2026 EPD typically runs to late‑2031. Align renewal planning with PCR updates to avoid back‑to‑back revisions (EPD International GPI, 2024) (EPD International GPI, 2024).
How common is the use of external EPD service providers for aluminium?
Roughly 63% of the aluminium EPDs here involved an external consultant or service provider, which matches broader construction trends where teams outsource data collection and LCA modeling to keep engineering focused.
About the Author
With a passion for sustainability and a love for complex data, Toby helps manufacturers efficiently collect data from across their organization and get their EPDs done right. He’s especially interested in how AI can support human expertise, helping R&D and factory teams work faster, smarter, and with less friction.
