RJ Watson: Bearings, Joints, and the EPD Gap
RJ Watson builds the unseen heroes of bridges: structural bearings, seismic isolation, and expansion joints. Owners and designers are asking for product‑specific EPDs more often, especially where carbon accounting is non‑negotiable. Here is how their portfolio stacks up today, where coverage appears thin, and the fast path to win back specs that now expect an EPD on file.
What RJ Watson makes
RJ Watson focuses on bridge and heavy‑civil movement systems. The portfolio spans structural bearings, seismic isolation devices, modular and strip expansion joints, plus related deck accessories and materials. It reads like a specialized toolkit for long‑life, low‑maintenance structures rather than a generalist catalog.
How broad is the range
They serve multiple product families across bearings, isolation, and joints, not a single‑product play. SKU counts look to be in the dozens when sizes, load ratings, and joint widths are considered. That breadth is great for cross‑selling on large rehabilitations where one supplier covering bearings and joints simplifies risk.
EPD coverage snapshot
As of December 19, 2025, we could not find any published, product‑specific EPDs for RJ Watson’s bearings or expansion joints. If a declaration exists outside common registries, it is not easily discoverable by specifiers. That discovery step matters because many project teams shortlist only what they can verify quickly.
The spec risk hiding in plain sight
Modular expansion joints show up on long spans and complex interchanges, which makes them a likely revenue anchor. Today at least one direct competitor lists a current EPD for a modular expansion joint, making it easy for specifiers to document carbon and keep moving. LEED v5 project teams also recognize product‑specific EPDs as credible disclosure, so lacking one can slow approvals or push buyers to an alternative.
Who they go up against most
In North America and internationally, RJ Watson most often faces a familiar bench of specialists:
- mageba for modular joints and structural bearings
- D.S. Brown for bearings and bridge joints
- MAURER for bearings, dampers, and joints
- Freyssinet for bearings and seismic devices
- Watson Bowman Acme for building and some bridge joints
These brands are frequently considered like‑for‑like on DOT, toll agency, and major rehab jobs. When an EPD is available for a competing joint or bearing, it can become the tie‑breaker that avoids conservative default factors in whole‑project carbon models.
A pragmatic first EPD
Start where the revenue and volume live. A product‑specific EPD for a modular expansion joint or a standard disc bearing captures a large share of bids and helps sales answer the two questions sustainability reviewers ask first: do you have an EPD, and is it third‑party verified. Where no narrowly tailored PCR exists, teams typically use a construction‑products PCR from a reputable program operator. Think of the PCR as the rulebook of Monopoly; ignore it and the game falls apart.
What good looks like operationally
Pick a reference year, lock your bills of materials and elastomer recipes, and make the plant utility pull painless. The right LCA partner should shoulder data collection so engineers keep building, not hunting meters. EPDs are generally valid for five years, which means one strong push buys multiple bid seasons (EPD International AB, General Programme Instructions, 2024).
A quick reality check on competitors
One published example worth noting is a modular expansion joint with a current EPD from a major global competitor. The message to reviewers is simple and fast to verify, which is why it lands in specs. Without an equivalent, even loyal buyers may default to that option on projects that mandate EPDs. You could definately be losing out on clean‑room‑style RFPs where documentation speed rules the day.
Closing the gap, quickly
Prioritize one joint and one bearing, aim for a product‑specific EPD, and publish with a widely recognized operator in the US or EU. Keep the modeling conservative, the verification clear, and the documentation easy to download. When the busiest SKUs have EPDs, everything else in the line gets easier to sell because reviewers stop asking basic eligibility questions and start discussing performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which RJ Watson product families should be prioritized for a first EPD to maximize commercial impact?
Modular expansion joints and standard disc or pot bearings tend to drive a large share of bridge and interchange projects, so an EPD for one joint and one bearing covers many bids.
If there is no highly specific PCR for bridge bearings or joints, how can an EPD still proceed?
Teams typically rely on widely used construction‑products PCRs from established program operators and document assumptions transparently. This is common practice and accepted by reviewers.
How long does an EPD usually remain valid, and why does that matter for planning?
Most program operators set a five‑year validity window, so a single effort supports multiple bid cycles before renewal is needed (EPD International AB, General Programme Instructions, 2024).
What measurable advantage does a competitor EPD create in a bid?
It removes carbon‑data uncertainty for the reviewer and avoids conservative default factors in project accounting, which can keep the product in the running without extra back‑and‑forth.
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.
