NACE 16.2 – Manufacture of Wood, Cork and Plaiting Articles (except Furniture) | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 16.2 covers the manufacture of wood products such as veneer sheets, plywood, fibreboard, particle board, parquet, wooden frames, wooden packaging, as well as cork and plaiting articles — excluding furniture and prefabricated building components. This group supplies important intermediates and finished products for the public construction industry.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: January 2026

What does NACE 16.2 cover?

NACE 16.2 (Manufacture of wood, cork and plaiting articles, except furniture) classifies businesses that produce a wide range of semi-finished and finished products for construction, packaging and fit-out from sawnwood and wood-based materials.

Group 16.2 within Section C (Manufacturing) and Division 16 (Wood products, cork, straw and plaiting articles) is structured into several classes:

Public contracting authorities procure products of this group both directly (parquet for public buildings, pallets for logistics) and indirectly via construction firms and fit-out businesses.

Public tenders: scope of NACE 16.2

Wood products from NACE 16.2 are present in numerous public procurement areas — from floor coverings in schools and public authorities to wood panels for exhibition stands to pallets in public logistics.

Typical contract types

• Parquet and wooden floor coverings for public buildings: Tenders for schools, sports halls, town halls, court buildings and cultural institutions by municipal building-construction offices and estate managers
• Wood-based panels for interior fit-out and dry-construction: Particle board, MDF and plywood for fit-out works in public estate — often as material supply lots in fit-out projects
• Wooden doors and windows: Class 16.23 supplies doors and windows for public buildings; tendered as trade lots in building construction
• Wooden pallets for public logistics: Federal authorities, Bundeswehr logistics centres, municipal stockholding and civil-protection depots procure pallets as supply contracts
• Timber noise barriers: Wood elements for noise barriers along public roads — procured by road-construction offices
• Timber structures for playgrounds and parks: Wood products for play equipment, pergolas, pavilions and seating groups in public green spaces and parks
• Cork flooring for schools and offices: Cork parquet as a sustainable alternative in educational facilities

Thresholds and procedure types

Floor-laying work and timber fit-out services are often tendered as trade lots under larger building measures. As standalone supply contracts (e.g. pallets, wood panels), volumes are usually below the EU thresholds. Framework agreements for federal authorities can reach higher aggregate volumes.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 16.2

The product diversity of NACE 16.2 is reflected in a broad CPV spectrum — from wooden floors to panels to pallets and cork products.

Current tenders with these CPV codes are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

For whom is NACE 16.2 relevant under procurement law?

Public contracting authorities

Municipal building-construction offices and estate managers are the most frequent contracting authorities for parquet and timber fit-out products. Road-construction offices at federal and state level procure timber noise barriers. Municipal parks departments and city horticulture services tender wooden play equipment, seating groups and park elements. Federal authorities and defence logistics (BAAINBw/HLKG) procure pallets. School authorities and educational institutions invest in parquet as a durable and sustainable flooring alternative. In Austria, Federal Real Estate Company (BIG) and municipal real-estate companies procure timber fit-out products.

Companies and bidders

Manufacturers of wood products under NACE 16.2 should consider the following in the public market:

• Timber certifications: PEFC and FSC as standard evidence of sustainable timber sourcing in public tenders; mandatory criterion with many contracting authorities
• Indoor-emissions evidence: Formaldehyde class E1 (per EN 717) for wood-based materials in interior applications; intrinsic emissions class A+ (under the French decree, increasingly demanded EU-wide)
• Fire-protection classes: For timber fit-out products in public buildings, requirements apply under MBO / LBO; Euro classes B-s1,d0 or C-s2,d0 are often required
• Quality standards: DIN EN 13986 for wood-based materials; EN 13489 for parquet; EN 336 and EN 1995 for structural timber
• Origin evidence for tropical wood: Public contracting authorities require CITES compliance and FLEGT licences for tropical timber

NACE 16.2 in context: Section C and Division 16

As the second group, NACE 16.2 completes wood-products Division 16 — it processes the intermediates from NACE 16.1 into a wide range of finished wood products for the public and private end markets.

• NACE C – Manufacturing: Parent section
• NACE 16 – Wood and wood products, cork, straw and plaiting articles: Parent division
• NACE 16.1 – Sawmilling and planing of wood: Upstream raw-wood processing
• NACE 31 – Manufacture of furniture: Downstream furniture production from wood products
• NACE 41.2 – Construction of residential and non-residential buildings: Major buyer of timber fit-out products

Frequently asked questions about NACE 16.2 and public tenders

Which wooden flooring is most suitable for public buildings?
For high-traffic public buildings (schools, town halls), 2-layer parquet or solid parquet from hardwood (oak, beech) with industrial lacquer is often recommended. For heavily used areas (corridors, entrance zones), technical options such as linoleum or rubber are more common. The EU Commission's GPP criteria include wood flooring as a separate product group.

Which requirements apply to wooden play equipment in public parks?
Wooden play equipment must comply with EN 1176 (playground equipment and surfacing). The wood used should be sustainably certified (PEFC/FSC) and free from wood preservatives classified as harmful to health. Regular maintenance obligations are to be addressed in tenders.

Are wooden pallets subject to EU procurement law?
Yes, where the value thresholds are exceeded. For upper federal authorities, EU-wide tendering is required from EUR 221,000. For significantly smaller pallet volumes, national procedures are permissible; direct awards are possible up to EUR 1,000 (net).

What role do wood products play in public climate protection?
Wood as a renewable raw material and CO₂ store is gaining importance in public climate protection. Many municipalities have launched timber-construction programmes that envisage schools, nurseries and residential buildings in timber construction. This sustainably drives demand for wood products under NACE 16.2.

Last updated: January 2026
All information provided without warranty. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.