Foraction

What Foraction does

Foraction inc. is a private Canadian civil engineering firm founded in 1996 and headquartered in Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec. The company specializes in trenchless underground infrastructure services, providing horizontal directional drilling, pipe ramming, auger boring, tunnel boring, rod pushing, and Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) rehabilitation to municipal governments and infrastructure contractors in Quebec and Ontario. Its equipment fleet spans pulling capacities from 10,000 to 220,000 pounds, allowing installation of pipes ranging from 400mm to 2,100mm diameter over distances up to 1,000 meters, plus trenchless watermain rehabilitation that the company claims reduces project costs by 40% and executes twice as fast as open-trench replacement.

The company operates a project-based, professional services revenue model, earning revenue through contracts for municipal infrastructure projects (watermains, sewers, stormwater, utility crossings) awarded via tender and direct RFP response. In 2017 Foraction obtained the exclusive CIPP Corporation license for Eastern Canada, and in 2019 it acquired Aquarehab (Canada) Inc., expanding its aqueduct rehabilitation and temporary water supply capabilities. The rehabilitation division was subsequently spun off into a standalone brand, Vortex Water. Foraction is part of the Michaudville Group, a Quebec-based conglomerate of related construction and aggregate companies. Visible 2020 contract wins include $17.7M from the City of Montreal and $7.4M across Dorval, Varennes, Sainte-Julie, Beaconsfield, and Cornwall, with a new 16,000+ sq ft wet-out workshop under construction to support in-house liner impregnation.

Name

Foraction

Legal name

Foraction inc.

Website

https://foraction.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Foraction is a Quebec-based civil engineering firm specializing in trenchless drilling and watermain rehabilitation services for municipal governments across Eastern Canada. Founded in 1996, it offers five drilling methods and CIPP lining technology through its Vortex Water brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trenchless Infrastructure Services

NAICS

Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (237110), Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (23711)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600)

akta.pro primary industry

Rehabilitation, Lining & Renewal (Pipe Relining, Trenchless Rehab, Asset Renewal) (IMAFAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water & Wastewater Pipeline Construction (Mains, Force Mains, Interceptors) (IMAFAGAC)

Keywords

• Trenchless drilling services
• Horizontal directional drilling
• Pipe rehabilitation solutions
• Underground infrastructure installation
• CIPP lining technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Mont-saint-hilaire

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Drilling Services: Project-based professional services for horizontal directional drilling, pipe ramming, auger boring, tunnel boring, and rod pusher drilling. Revenue earned through contracts for municipal infrastructure projects including water mains, sewers, telecommunications, and pipelines.
2. Trenchless Aqueduct Rehabilitation: Structural rehabilitation services using CIPP lining technology for existing watermain pipes. Revenue from municipal contracts for pipe repair and infrastructure maintenance.
3. Lead Service Replacement: Trenchless replacement of lead water service connections using pulling, torpedo, and rod pushing techniques.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Foraction is a civil engineering firm that provides trenchless underground infrastructure services, including horizontal directional drilling, pipe ramming, auger boring, tunnel boring, and rod pushing for pipe installation under obstacles such as roads, rivers, and railways. The company also delivered trenchless aqueduct rehabilitation using CIPP lining technology (now operated under the Vortex Water brand) and lead service replacement for municipal water systems.

Product overview

Foraction is a horizontal drilling and trenchless infrastructure rehabilitation company offering multiple specialized services. Their core offerings include five distinct drilling methods: Directional Drilling, Pipe Ramming, Auger Drilling, Tunnel Boring, and Rod Pushing — each suited for different soil conditions, pipe diameters (400mm to 2,100mm), and distance requirements. Complementing the drilling services are Lead Service Replacement and Trenchless Aqueduct Rehabilitation (CIPP lining technology). The company expanded into aqueduct rehabilitation in 2017 through a CIPP Corporation license and further through the 2019 acquisition of Aquarehab. The rehabilitation division is now operated under the Vortex Water brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vortex Water: Trenchless aqueduct rehabilitation services, formerly operating as Foraction's rehabilitation division before being rebranded as a distinct brand under Vortex Water (contact: vortexcompanies.com).

Products and services

• Directional Drilling (Forage directionnel ou dirigé) Horizontal directional drilling service for installing pipes under obstacles such as rivers or roads without disturbing the surrounding environment. Capable of installing pipes up to 1,200mm diameter and drilling distances up to 1,000 meters, with equipment pulling capacity from 10,000 to 220,000 pounds. Targeted at municipal water, sewer, telecommunications, and pipeline projects.
• Pipe Ramming (Forage par poussée) Horizontal drilling method for installing steel sleeve pipes under obstacles over short distances up to 50 meters. Allows installation of steel pipes up to 1,800mm in diameter using a pneumatic hammer combined with static winch force.
• Auger Drilling (Forage par tarière) Horizontal drilling method for installing steel pipes under obstacles, suitable for homogeneous soils of sand, silt, and clay. Installs pipes from 400mm to 1,350mm diameter, including gravity drilling applications.
• Tunnel Boring (Forage par tunnelier) Gravity drilling method for large-diameter pipes from 1,200mm diameter over distances up to 200 meters. Uses a tunnel boring machine with laser-guided navigation for precision drilling, suited for storm sewer outfalls and other major infrastructure crossings.
• Rod Pushing (Forage par poinçonnement) Drilling technique for limited spaces, capable of operating in excavations of only 2m x 2m. Used for service connections and larger-diameter pipe installations using steel products.
• Lead Service Replacement (Travaux de plomb) Trenchless replacement of lead water service connections using three techniques: pulling, torpedoing, and rod pushing. Minimizes impact on citizens while significantly reducing replacement costs compared to open-trench methods.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trenchless rehabilitation reduces infrastructure project costs by 40%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Aquarehab (Canada) Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Foraction acquired the assets and operations of Aquarehab (Canada) Inc., an empresa specializing in aqueduct rehabilitation and temporary water supply. This acquisition expanded Foraction's service capabilities and market position in the trenchless rehabilitation sector.
• CIPP CorporationcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2017Foraction holds the exclusive license for CIPP (Cured-In-Place Pipe) Corporation's trenchless rehabilitation technology for Eastern Canada. This partnership enables the company to offer proprietary structural lining services for aqueduct rehabilitation.
• Groupe MichaudvillecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Foraction is part of the Michaudville Group, a consortium of companies including Les Entreprises Michaudville Inc. (civil engineering), Carrière Mont St-Hilaire Inc. (aggregate production and sales), and Bordures et Trottoirs Alliance Inc. (concrete work). The group maximizes competitive advantage through diversified service offerings.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Direct peers

• Michels Corporation: One of North America's largest trenchless construction specialty contractors, offering directional drilling, pipe ramming, auger boring, and CIPP rehabilitation. Directly comparable to Foraction in service mix, technology stack, and municipal/utility customer base, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Insituform Technologies (Aegion): Global leader in CIPP trenchless sewer and water rehabilitation, and owner of much of the underlying CIPP technology. Foraction's exclusive Eastern Canada license traces back to this technology ecosystem, making Insituform the most direct competitive analogue for Vortex Water's rehabilitation business.
• LANEY Group: US-based specialty trenchless contractor offering directional drilling, auger boring, pipe ramming, and shaft construction for water/sewer and utility infrastructure. Closely comparable service portfolio to Foraction, with a similar specialty-contractor positioning serving municipal and utility clients.

Broad incumbents

• Aecon Group: One of Canada's largest construction companies, with extensive water/wastewater and underground infrastructure capabilities. Competes with Foraction on large municipal water and sewer tenders in Quebec and Ontario, but as part of a much broader portfolio (concessions, utilities, energy).
• AtkinsRéalis (formerly SNC-Lavalin): Major Canadian-headquartered engineering and construction firm with deep municipal water and wastewater infrastructure expertise. Competes for the same class of municipal projects as Foraction but at full EPC scale and with significantly broader service breadth.
• Pomerleau: Quebec-headquartered major construction firm active in civil infrastructure across the province. Closest major Quebec-based incumbent peer to Foraction, with overlapping capabilities in underground utility work, though not a trenchless specialist.
• WSP Global: Global engineering professional services firm with large water and municipal infrastructure practices in Canada. Acts as designer, owner's engineer, and program manager on the same municipal tenders Foraction bids on as a contractor.
• Stantec: Major Canadian engineering consultancy with a sizable water and community development practice. Engaged with municipalities on the planning/specification side of many of the same projects Foraction executes, and a potential partner or competitor depending on project delivery model.

Regional players

• Logistec: Canadian-headquartered environmental and marine services company with water and wastewater infrastructure work in Eastern Canada. Comparable regional footprint and municipal customer base, though focused on port/marine and environmental remediation rather than trenchless drilling.

Others

• Les Entreprises Michaudville: Foraction's parent organization within the Michaudville Group, focused on civil engineering. Sister company under shared ownership, providing integrated civil works alongside Foraction's trenchless drilling and Vortex Water's rehabilitation services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/foraction.ca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foraction-inc/?originalSubdomain=ca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Foraction