EPDs for Hollow Sections in Europe, the data guide
Planning a hollow structural section (HSS) or steel box section EPD in 2026? Here’s the market in one place: who’s publishing, which program operators dominate, the PCRs that actually get used, and when renewals hit. Use this to benchmark your roadmap against real activity, not guesswork.
The 2026 snapshot in numbers
Manufacturers kept publishing. Over the last five years in Europe, we see 63 current EPDs for Hollow Sections, produced by 25 manufacturers, spread across 4 program operators and 15 distinct PCRs.
The most recent addition landed on Dec 18, 2025. It covers Cold‑formed Structural hollow sections by Tibnor AB under EPD Hub using EPD Hub Core PCR version 1.1, with validity to Dec 18, 2030. That aligns with what specifiers expect to find in the main public registry many of them consult.
EPDs are typically valid for five years in major European programs, so renewal planning matters more than perfect timing to the day (EPD International GPI, 2024).
Program operators, by usage and breadth
Four operators carried this category in the past five years. EPD International AB handled 40 EPDs across 18 manufacturers, which is about two thirds of the market. EPD Hub published 20 EPDs for 6 manufacturers, a sizeable presence with multi‑country uptake. EPD Italy and EPD Norway appear as niche choices with 2 and 1 EPDs respectively, each tied one‑to‑one or nearly so with a manufacturer. That diversity suggests most competitive sets mix Environdec and EPD Hub in bids, with Italy and Norway used for targeted cases.
What this means. If you want your declaration to sit where specifiers already look, EPD International AB and EPD Hub both meet that bar. The choice often comes down to timeline and which PCR best fits your product family.
Manufacturer leaderboard
ArcelorMittal published 7 EPDs for hollow sections in Europe over the last five years. ÇAYIROVA Boru follows with 6. Stalatube Oy and Norstal Steel Structure each show 5. Groups with four EPDs include Tibnor AB, Tosçelik, and Yücel Boru. The top seven manufacturers together account for roughly 56 percent of current declarations, which tells us this category is competitive but not winner‑takes‑all.
A practical read. If you compete with any of the names above, being missing from bid documents because of a missing EPD is a real risk. An EPD can be the key that keeps your product from being swapped late in the tender when carbon accounting kicks in.
PCRs that actually get used
This category is PCR‑diverse, though a few rulebooks drive most activity.
- PCR 2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804+A2) (1.3.3) leads with 22 EPDs and latest expiries out to Nov 9, 2028.
- EPD Hub Core PCR v1.1 (Dec 5, 2023) has 11 EPDs reaching as far as Dec 18, 2030.
- PCR 2019:14 (EN 15804:A2) at 6 EPDs and PCR 2019:14 (EN 15804+A2) 1.2.5 at 8 EPDs fill much of the rest.
- Smaller but notable contributors include NPCR 013 Part B for Steel and Aluminum Construction Products, EN 15804:2012+A2:2019 core, and “Steel products for construction” Part B documents that extend into 2030.
If you’re choosing a PCR today, scan your closest competitors, then weigh expiry. Picking a rulebook that sunsets next year forces an early update. Picking one with a 2030 runway buys breathing room.
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PCRs in one glance
| PCR | EPDs | Latest expiry |
|---|---|---|
| PCR 2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804+A2) (1.3.3) | 22 | Nov 9, 2028 |
| PCR 2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804:A2) | 6 | Feb 20, 2029 |
| PCR 2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804+A2) (1.2.5) | 8 | Dec 19, 2028 |
| EPD Hub Core PCR v1.1 (Dec 5, 2023) | 11 | Dec 18, 2030 |
| EPD Hub Core PCR v1.0 (Feb 1, 2022) | 3 | Aug 25, 2028 |
| NPCR 013: Part B for Steel and Aluminum Construction Products | 2 | Sep 11, 2030 |
| EN 15804:2012+A2:2019 Core rules | 1 | Jun 28, 2030 |
| EN 15804:2012 + A1:2013 Core rules | 2 | May 24, 2027 |
| CEN standard EN 15804 (unspecified) | 1 | Apr 1, 2027 |
| PCR 2012:01 Construction products and services (EN 15804:A1) | 1 | Dec 17, 2026 |
| PCR for Construction products: ICMQ‑001/15 | 1 | May 14, 2026 |
| PCR for Construction products: ICMQ‑001/15 rev 2 | 1 | May 14, 2026 |
| Part B: EPD requirements for structural steels | 1 | Aug 7, 2030 |
| Product Category Rule for “Steel products for construction” | 3 | Jun 4, 2030 |
| Cumulative of other minor entries | 0 | — |
Issuance tempo: are we still climbing
Activity surged in 2023 and stayed healthy in 2025. That pattern fits what we hear from sales teams who now encounter low‑carbon and transparency asks as standard pre‑quals rather than edge cases.
EPDs issued per year
| Year | EPDs |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 26 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 16 |
Renewal calendar: when the cliff arrives
Many hollow section EPDs in Europe come up for renewal together. Here’s the next five years.
- 2026: 10 expiries. Most come from older ICMQ and A1‑era rulebooks that were kept alive for one more cycle.
- 2027: 8 expiries. A quieter year with a handful on legacy EN 15804 A1 and early A2 entries.
- 2028: 27 expiries. This is the big one. The cohort on PCR 2019:14 (A2) 1.3.3 and EPD Hub Core v1.0 dominates here. Capacity at verifiers and operators will be tight.
- 2029: 2 expiries. A breather year.
- 2030: 16 expiries. A second, smaller wave, many tied to EPD Hub Core v1.1 and steel‑specific Part B rules.
If your EPD lands in the 2028 pile, book your update window early. Treat it like a holiday flight, not a last‑minute taxi.
How often teams use an EPD consultant
Of the 63 current EPDs, 46 list an external developer or service provider. That is roughly 73 percent, a clear signal that many manufacturers prefer partners to wrangle data templates, site contacts, energy bills, and version control for them. If you want a white‑glove partner, an EPD service provider like Parq can collect the data, run the LCA, and publish with your preferred operator while your team focuses on production and sales.
What to screen for. Ask how they handle multi‑site data capture, whether they can pre‑fill utility and transport factors by plant, and how they plan a renewal against PCR expiries. Definitly ask who actually does the heavy lifting.
Notably absent or outside‑region
A few big steel names familiar to European buyers do not appear with current hollow section EPDs in this European cut as of Jan 19, 2026. Some publish EPDs in other product families or regions, some list tubular products outside construction scope. If you are competing with them locally, that absence can be a commercial opening.
Picking the right path for your next EPD
- Program operator. Match where your customers look and where competitors publish. In this category, EPD International AB and EPD Hub are the common choices.
- PCR fit. Start with the competitive norm, then check expiry runway. If two PCRs fit, prefer the one that carries you comfortably past 2028.
- Timing. If your renewal falls in a crowd year like 2028, initiate the update months earlier so verification is smooth and logistics do not stall bids.
Bring the data home
This guide is based on the global public registry that most architects and specifiers consult. Because of normal loading delays, some EPDs from the last half of 2025 may not appear here yet. If you want the full, up‑to‑date background dataset behind these charts or a quick sanity check on the best fit PCR for your next declaration, connect with me on LinkedIn and send a message. I am also happy to hop on a short call to help, free of charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which program operators handle most Hollow Sections EPDs in Europe and what does that imply?
EPD International AB and EPD Hub together account for the vast majority of current EPDs in this category. Publishing with either typically meets specifier expectations for discoverability and comparability.
Which PCRs dominate Hollow Sections EPDs in Europe in 2026?
PCR 2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804+A2) (1.3.3) leads by count, followed by EPD Hub Core PCR v1.1 and other EN 15804 A2 variants. These choices influence renewal timing, with a large expiry wave in 2028.
When does the next renewal crunch hit for Hollow Sections EPDs?
Expiries spike in 2028. If your EPD shares that runway, plan verification early to avoid capacity bottlenecks at operators and verifiers.
How common is it to use an external consultant for EPD creation?
About 73% of current Hollow Sections EPDs list an external developer or service provider. Many manufacturers prefer partners to streamline data capture and verification so their teams can stay focused on operations.
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.
