Northern Mat and Bridge’s first EPD arrives
Access projects move fast, but carbon paperwork can stall bids. Northern Mat and Bridge just published its first Environmental Product Declaration for an interlocking softwood lumber access mat, giving specifiers a verified, ready‑to‑use data point that helps keep selections moving without guesswork.
What just launched
Northern Mat and Bridge has published a third‑party verified EPD covering an Interlocking Softwood Lumber Access Mat used for temporary roads and work platforms. The declaration reads as a product‑specific profile for this mat type and is currently valid through 2030, which keeps it squarely useful for multi‑year framework bids.
It’s a pragmatic first step that targets the product many owners and EPCs ask about first. One document. A clear scope. No back‑and‑forth over proxies.
Why this matters for specs
Many public and private buyers now treat product‑specific EPDs as a de‑risking move for carbon accounting in bids. Without one, teams are forced to use conservative default factors that can penalize a product in close comparisons. With one, reviewers can evaluate like‑to‑like and move on.
This is also a lift for distributor and rental partners. A single, current declaration reduces re‑work on submittals and centralizes the talking points for sustainability questionnaires. It’s the kind of paperwork that quietly unblocks revenue.
The product context
Northern Mat and Bridge manufactures temporary access solutions for energy, utilities, and infrastructure work where ground protection is non‑negotiable. Interlocking softwood mats help create stable platforms that install quickly, protect sensitive soils, and support heavy equipment.
The new EPD focuses on this core use case, which is where specifiers most often seek verified numbers to compare alternatives during pre‑construction.
Competitive snapshot
In the access matting arena, a few names stand out when sustainability documentation comes up.
- Sterling Structural publishes EPDs that include industrial matting made from CLT, giving buyers a comparable wood‑based option with published impacts.
- Signature Systems promotes composite site access systems, but we could not locate public, product‑specific EPDs on its website as of January 5, 2026.
- Newpark’s DURA‑BASE is a well‑known composite platform solution, and similarly we did not find product‑specific EPDs on its website as of January 5, 2026.
Taken together, Northern Mat and Bridge has entered the transparency arena and can now be evaluated alongside EPD‑holding wood mat suppliers, while standing out where composite competitors still lack published declarations. That is practical leverage in close specs.
Program operator and LCA support
The declaration is third‑party verified and published with a recognized program operator. If the developer or LCA consultant is publicly named in the document, spec teams should add that partner to their approved credentials list. If it is not stated, that is fine. What matters most is verification and validity.
What owners and EPCs will do with this
Expect faster submittal reviews where mats must contribute to project‑wide carbon goals and procurement policies. Fewer emails. Clearer comparisons between wood and composite options. And less risk of being swapped late for a competitor simply becuase their paperwork is easier to score.
Website visibility check
We did not find the new EPD posted on Northern Mat and Bridge’s website as of January 5, 2026. Adding an easily discoverable Sustainability or Resources page with the PDF and a short summary helps estimators and buyers find it within seconds, not minutes. That’s an easy win for sales enablement.
What comes next
One EPD opens the door to the next. Manufacturers typically extend coverage to related mat families or regional manufacturing scenarios once the first workflow is in place. The heavy lift is gathering clean, auditable data. A white‑glove partner that streamlines that step often determines how quickly a portfolio goes from one declaration to many.
The takeaway
Northern Mat and Bridge just matched what leading wood‑mat providers already bring to the table and nudged ahead of composite rivals that still lack product‑specific declarations. For project teams, this turns a friction point into a green light. For sales, it’s a quiet but meaningful spec advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which product did Northern Mat and Bridge publish an EPD for and how broad is the scope?
An Interlocking Softwood Lumber Access Mat used for temporary roads and work platforms. The scope reads as product‑specific for this mat type rather than an entire category.
Who else in access matting has EPDs today?
Sterling Structural has product EPDs that include industrial matting made from CLT. We did not find product‑specific EPDs published on Signature Systems or Newpark’s websites as of January 5, 2026.
Where can specifiers find the new EPD?
It was recently published by a recognized program operator. We could not locate it on Northern Mat and Bridge’s website as of January 5, 2026, so adding it to a Sustainability or Resources page is recommended.
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.
