Congratulations, NZ Panels Group’s first EPDs
Big milestone for a New Zealand mainstay. NZ Panels Group has entered the transparency arena with its first product-specific Environmental Product Declarations for melamine MDF panels. That move gives specifiers usable carbon data for interior cabinetry and joinery instead of default penalties, and it puts a familiar brand into more bids where verified numbers are now expected.
What just launched
NZ Panels Group published two first-ever EPDs in June 2025 for melamine MDF panels. The declarations cover a family of double-sided melamine boards across multiple finishes that serve cabinetry, wardrobes, furniture and commercial interiors. The scope reads as product family rather than a single SKU, which is what busy design teams prefer.
Program operator and technical partners
These EPDs are registered with the International EPD System, run by EPD International AB. Edge Environment is listed as the LCA and EPD developer, a well-known ANZ consultancy for building products. Issuance month is June 2025, aligned to EN 15804 A2 and ISO 14025 (EPD Australasia, 2025).
Why this matters for specs now
On projects that score embodied carbon, designers often face conservative defaults when a product lacks a current, product‑specific EPD. Those defaults behave like a headwind in whole‑building LCA models, which quietly nudges a product out of contention. A verified EPD swaps guesswork for measured data, so cabinet packages and wall linings can be compared fairly rather than taxed by assumptions.
Work for NZ Panels Group or competing against them?
Follow us for a product-by-product competitive analysis to see which melamine MDF panels get spec'd and where EPD gaps could impact your bids.
The products in plain English
Think everyday workhorses of interior fit‑outs. Melamine‑faced MDF at common thicknesses for doors, drawers, end panels, shelving and shopfitting. Multiple surface colours and woodgrains. Factory finishes that arrive ready to install. It is the plywood-and-paint of joinery, only cleaner and more consistent.
Competitive snapshot in ANZ and beyond
Laminex New Zealand has a broad set of product‑specific EPDs for decorated MDF, particleboard and related wall panels that overlap strongly with melamine use cases, so NZ Panels Group is catching up where many architects already expect verified data. Global panel majors like Kronospan and EGGER also publish EPDs for MF MDF and laminate systems, which means international specs are already comparing like with like. Entering with product‑specific MDF EPDs lets NZ Panels Group compete on performance instead of price-only when carbon is on the brief.
Where to find the documents
The melamine panels EPD is visible in Prime Panels’ technical resources library, which is a smart step because specifiers look there first. If a Bestwood page surfaces the same PDF, that creates one more easy win for the sales and spec team on tight deadlines. The registration listing also appears on EPD Australasia’s public directory, confirming the June 2025 release month (EPD Australasia, 2025).
Company context, quickly
NZ Panels Group manufactures interior decorative surfaces under Prime Panels and Bestwood for residential and commercial joinery across New Zealand. The portfolio spans melamine, veneer, HPL and acrylic surfaces, plus thermoform doors. Publishing EPDs for the highest‑volume interior boards puts verified carbon numbers where the market most often asks for them.
What winning teams do next
Two fast follow‑ups tend to pay off. First, mirror the same EPD framework across adjacent substrates like raw MDF and particleboard to protect comparability in bids. Second, make the EPD links one‑click from every relevant product page and sustainability hub. Visibility is half the battle and it definately reduces back‑and‑forth during submittals.
The takeaway
This is a clean debut. With melamine MDF now covered by product‑specific EPDs, NZ Panels Group moves from estimates to evidence and meets peers already playing with verified data. That shift earns more shots on goal in ANZ fit‑outs where embodied‑carbon math increasingly decides shortlists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which month did NZ Panels Group release its first EPDs for melamine MDF panels?
June 2025, as shown on the regional program operator’s public listing for the product family (EPD Australasia, 2025).
Who verified or operated the EPDs and who developed the LCA?
The EPDs are registered with the International EPD System run by EPD International AB, and Edge Environment is listed as the LCA/EPD developer.
Where can specifiers download the PDFs on the company’s site?
The melamine panels EPD appears in Prime Panels’ Technical Resources under Sustainability, alongside Eco Choice and Declare entries.
How does this change competitive positioning in ANZ joinery and wall panels?
It closes the gap with Laminex New Zealand’s panel EPDs and aligns with global players like Kronospan and EGGER, enabling fair comparisons in carbon‑aware bids.
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.
