Rmax: polyiso lineup and today’s EPD reality
Rmax lives in the polyiso lane. That’s good news for performance, but spec success now leans on credible, current EPDs. Here’s where their portfolio shines, where coverage is thin, and which rivals bring EPDs to the same jobsite.
Who Rmax is
Rmax is a Sika brand focused on rigid polyisocyanurate board insulation for walls, roofs, and specialty composites. Their site emphasizes low‑VOC credentials and a sustainability story anchored in blowing agents with zero ozone depletion potential, plus a dedicated sustainability section (Rmax Sustainability).
Product range at a glance
The lineup centers on polyiso boards for building envelopes. Core families include Thermasheath and Durasheath for walls, TSX exposed‑interior boards, ECOMAXci FR and FR Ply for continuous insulation with cladding attachment, nailbase and plywood composites, and the retail‑aimed R‑Matte Plus. On the roof side, Sarnatherm polyiso boards cover flat, tapered and cover board needs.
How broad is the catalog
Rmax serves a handful of categories across the envelope, primarily wall and roof, with a specialty slice for plywood or nailbase composites. Individual SKUs land in the dozens when you factor thicknesses, facers, and board formats. It is a focused portfolio rather than a sprawling multi‑material mix.
EPD status check
Rmax links to polyiso industry‑average EPDs for wall and roof boards on its LEED page. Those EPDs were issued in November 2020 with five‑year validity windows that ended in early November 2025 (Rmax LEED, 2025, NSF EPD listings, 2025). As of today, we do not find current, product‑specific Rmax EPDs in public operator listings. If an updated industry‑wide or product‑specific EPD has been prepared but not yet posted, it is not visible to specifiers.
Why that matters on bids
LEED v5 was ratified on March 28, 2025 and raises the bar on embodied carbon and material transparency across project types (USGBC, 2025) (USGBC LEED v5, 2025). Many active projects still use the familiar LEED v4.1 materials pathway where a product‑specific, third‑party‑verified Type III EPD counts as 1.5 products toward the credit’s 20‑product target (USGBC Credit Library, 2024). When an EPD is expired or only industry‑average, teams often default to conservative accounting. That can push a product off shortlists even when its thermal performance is strong.
One likely gap with real revenue risk
Thermasheath wall boards are a Rmax staple in light commercial and multifamily. Today they appear to rely on the expired industry‑wide EPD rather than a current product‑specific declaration. Meanwhile, a rival such as GAF markets non‑halogenated polyiso with product‑specific EPDs in that same wall and roof space. On jobs targeting LEED points or firm procurement rules, the competitor with an active, product‑specific EPD becomes the lower‑friction choice. That is the difference between getting quietly swapped or staying in the submittal set.
Competitor set you’ll meet on the drawings
Polyiso incumbents that Rmax faces frequently include:
- Atlas, Johns Manville, Carlisle, Hunter Panels, IKO, Soprema, and GAF for like‑kind polyiso boards.
- Substitutes in certain assemblies include mineral wool and XPS, which commonly carry valid program‑operator EPDs for thermal insulation categories. Polyiso still dominates commercial roof insulation in North America at greater than 70 percent share, so polyiso‑to‑polyiso comparisons are the norm on roofs (EESI, 2025).
What “good” looks like from an EPD standpoint
A quick, low‑drama path is to refresh participation in the polyiso industry‑wide EPD so spec teams again have a current document to reference. The higher‑ROI path is product‑specific EPDs for flagship lines like Thermasheath, Durasheath, TSX, and ECOMAXci FR. Start with the top movers by volume or margin, then cascade. Pick the PCR widely used by competitors to keep comparisons clean, and aim for clear plant boundaries and recent reference years. Make data collection painless so manufacturing and product teams can stay focused on throughput while the LCA moves in parallel.
Practical tip for sales enablement
Equip reps with a one‑pager per product that pairs the data sheet with the EPD ID, validity dates, declared unit, and a simple language blurb on where the EPD fits LEED v4.1 and how it supports LEED v5 material transparency. When the ask arrives on a Friday afternoon, the right PDF link is the difference between “we’ll circle back” and “attached for your submittal”. One small miss like an out‑of‑date link can look sloppy to a specifier.
Where Rmax already has a head start
The brand story leans into clean‑air and low‑emitting claims, plus a single‑material focus that simplifies data boundaries. That focus can accelerate high‑quality LCAs if plant utility and waste data are organized by reference year. We also like that the website keeps all key documents in predictable places which speeds reviewer checks. Minor site polish aside, the foundation is there to move fast on EPDs, then keep them current.
Final take
Rmax is a polyiso pure‑play with recognizable SKUs and strong assemblies. The enviromental story will land better when backed by current EPDs, starting with wall and roof best sellers. In a market where EPDs are now table stakes instead of nice‑to‑haves, speed and completeness win the spec more often than not.
(USGBC LEED v5 ratification date and guidance, 2025) (USGBC LEED v5, 2025) (Industry‑average polyiso EPDs issued 2020 with 5‑year validity, 2025) (NSF EPD listings, 2025) (Rmax LEED resource page offering polyiso EPD links, 2025) (Rmax LEED, 2025)
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rmax have active, product-specific EPDs today?
We did not find product‑specific EPDs publicly posted for Rmax as of December 25, 2025. Rmax links to industry‑wide polyiso EPDs that reached the end of their five‑year validity in November 2025 (NSF EPD listings, 2025).
Which Rmax products should be prioritized for EPD coverage to improve spec rates?
Start with Thermasheath and Durasheath wall boards, TSX exposed boards, and ECOMAXci FR. These are common in light commercial and multifamily and often face direct EPD comparisons.
Do industry-average EPDs still help for LEED projects?
Yes, when current. They provide transparency and are accepted under common pathways. Product‑specific, third‑party‑verified Type III EPDs typically carry more weight and count as 1.5 products in LEED v4.1 Option 1 (USGBC Credit Library, 2024).
Who are the main competitors likely to show up with EPDs?
Atlas, Johns Manville, Carlisle, Hunter Panels, IKO, Soprema, and GAF frequently present current EPDs for polyiso. Mineral wool and XPS makers also bring valid EPDs for assemblies where substitution is feasible.
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.
