Cruard Carpentry

What Cruard Carpentry does

Cruard Charpente et Construction Bois is a French private designer, manufacturer, and installer of timber structures and heritage restoration works, headquartered in Simplé (Mayenne) with a secondary operational base in Nantes. Founded in 1955 as a roofing business and formally established as Cruard Charpente in 1992, the company serves both public and private sector clients across the entire French territory, including DOM-TOM, through an integrated design-to-installation model. Its core offerings span traditional and glued-laminated timber framing, prefabricated wood-frame construction, the Fast Bois ready-to-assemble product range, building envelope services, structural reinforcement, and historic monument restoration certified at the highest Qualibat 2393 level.

The firm operates 11,000 m² of covered workshops equipped with three CNC cutting robots delivering 150 m³ of weekly throughput, supported by a fleet of 30 vehicles including crane-equipped trucks. An in-house engineering bureau of approximately 30 technicians uses CADWORK, SEMA, Robot Structural Analysis, and Acord-Bat 3D to deliver structural calculations under Eurocodes 0, 1, 3, 5, and 8. The proprietary Hybridal mixed wood-concrete floor system, launched in 2020 with ATEX certification and a dedicated workshop, anchors the firm's push into multi-story timber construction and has been recognized with multiple national innovation awards.

The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Lefèvre Développement group, with capital social of €600,000, and is led by Aurélien and Florian Lefèvre as directors of publication. Revenue is project-based with no public pricing; customers include DRAC, municipalities, social housing operators, private developers, and landmark cultural institutions, with a reference portfolio spanning Notre-Dame de Paris, the Louvre, Château d'Azay-le-Rideau, and Château de Chenonceau. Certifications include Qualibat 2392 and 2393, Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant, Label Lucie 26000, PEFC sustainable forestry, and ACERBOIS-GLULAM compliance.

Name

Cruard Carpentry

Legal name

CRUARD CHARPENTE ET CONSTRUCTION BOIS

Website

https://cruard-charpente.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cruard Charpente is a French designer, manufacturer, and installer of timber structures and heritage restorations, serving public institutions, developers, and landmark cultural sites across France with integrated design, prefabrication, and on-site installation services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Timber Construction and Heritage Restoration Services

NAICS

Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing (3212)

SIC

Millwood, Veneer, Plywood, & Structural Wood Members (2430), Prefabricated Wood Bldgs & Components (2452), Lumber & Wood Products (No Furniture) (2400)

akta.pro primary industry

Finish Carpentry & Trim Repair (Baseboards, Crown, Casing) (HSAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

CLT (Cross-Laminated Timber) Manufacturing (IMAMACAF)

Keywords

• Timber construction services
• Wood frame construction
• Heritage monument restoration
• Prefabricated timber structures
• Structural reinforcement carpentry

Headquarters

HQ city

Simplé

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Construction Wood Services: Design, manufacturing, and installation of wood structures including timber framing, wood frame construction, and mixed wood/metal structures for new buildings.
2. Historic Heritage Restoration: Specialized restoration services for historic monuments and heritage buildings, including structural reinforcement and traditional carpentry techniques.
3. Fast Bois Prefabricated Products: Sale of ready-to-assemble wood construction products including traditional frames, glued laminated timber, floor cassettes, and wood frame wall kits.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cruard Charpente is a designer, manufacturer, and installer of wooden frameworks and structures, offering timber framing (charpente bois), wood frame construction (ossature bois), prefabricated ready-to-assemble products (Fast Bois), building envelope services (clos couvert), structural reinforcement, and historic monument restoration. The company also produces the proprietary Hybridal mixed wood-concrete floor system and operates an integrated engineering bureau supporting complex architectural projects across France.

Product overview

Cruard Charpente operates as a designer, manufacturer, and installer of timber construction and heritage restoration. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of wood construction products including Charpente bois (roofing structures), Ossature bois (wood frame construction), Fast bois (ready-to-install prefabricated wood products), Clos couvert (building envelope services), and Renforcement structure (structural reinforcement). Their heritage restoration division specializes in historical monument restoration certified by Qualibat 2392 and 2393. The company has developed the innovative HYBRIDAL mixed wood-concrete floor system. An internal engineering office (Bureau d'études) of approximately 30 technicians supports design and structural calculations. Services span construction in wood frame, roofing, mixed wood/metal structures, and restoration of monuments including Notre-Dame de Paris.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Charpente bois (Timber Framing) Traditional wood frame roofing and timber assemblies for buildings, including traditional frames, glued laminated timber (lamellé collé), 3D timber structures, suspended timber frames, and KERTO engineered timber products. Targets building owners, architects, and developers in France.
• Ossature bois (Wood Frame Construction) Wood frame construction for buildings including pre-fabricated walls with integrated insulation, windows, and cladding. Meets HQE and BEPOS environmental standards. Used for residential and commercial buildings across France.
• Fast Bois (Prefabricated Wood Construction Products) Ready-to-install wood construction products for professionals, including traditional apparent frames, glued laminated structures, apparent assembled flooring with dovetail joints, prefabricated wood frame walls, and fully prefabricated roof and floor cassettes. Uses spruce, Douglas, Larch, and Oak from PEFC-certified sustainably managed French forests.
• Clos couvert (Building Envelope) Building envelope and weatherproofing services that ensure innovative and high-performance building shells, delivered with required certifications and compliance. Targets building owners and developers.
• Restauration Monuments Historiques (Heritage Restoration) Specialized restoration services for historical monuments and heritage buildings using traditional and contemporary techniques. Holds Qualibat 2392 and 2393 certifications. Restores churches, chapels, castles, and manors using French PEFC-certified timber. Notable projects include Notre-Dame de Paris, Louvre Museum, Château d'Azay-le-Rideau, and Château de Chenonceau.
• Renforcement structure (Structural Reinforcement) Structural reinforcement services for sports halls, exhibition halls, large surfaces, and heritage buildings. Solutions include KERTO compression slabs, connected wood/concrete floors, and mixed wood/metal reinforcement. Targets public and private building owners requiring structural upgrades.
• HYBRIDAL (Mixed Wood-Concrete Floor System) Proprietary mixed wood-concrete glued floor system (planchers mixtes bois/béton collés) combining wood and concrete for enhanced structural performance. Awarded Grand Prix National d'Innovation LA CANOPEE (2020), Prix de la Canopée (2021), and Prix du Produit Innovant du BTP (2022). Targets multi-story residential and commercial developers including the SoWood R+7 project in Saint-Herblain.

Quantifiable outcome

• Production capacity of 150 m³ per week through automated cutting robots
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lefèvre DéveloppementcoreOthersParent company group that owns Cruard Charpente. The group includes multiple companies in the construction and development sector.
• PEFCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainable forest certification partnership ensuring wood is sourced from responsibly managed forests. Displayed on company website as a quality certification.
• QualibatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional certification organization for construction companies. Cruard Charpente holds Qualibat 2392 (heritage restoration) and 2393 (monument restoration) qualifications.
• Entreprise du Patrimoine VivantcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench label for companies with excellence in craftsmanship and heritage preservation. Cruard Charpente obtained this label in 2017.
• GODARD Construction boisminorOthersAcquired in 2004 to expand market presence in Nantes region. This acquisition strengthened company's presence in the Pays de la Loire region.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lignosus: French timber frame and structural wood company with industrial prefabrication capabilities. Direct peer in ossature bois and engineered timber structures for French residential and public markets.
• Ossabois: French timber frame manufacturer focused on prefabricated wood-frame solutions for residential, multi-story, and public buildings. Highly comparable business model to Cruard's Fast Bois and ossature bois offerings.
• Mathis SAS: French glulam and CLT manufacturer with integrated engineering and installation services, comparable in size and product range to Cruard Charpente. Direct competitor in French timber construction for public, residential, and commercial projects.
• Piveteau Bois: French engineered wood manufacturer (CLT, glulam, structural timber) supplying both project and prefabricated markets. Comparable in product mix and French market focus, with broader industrial scale.
• Simonin SAS: French wood construction specialist producing glulam beams, CLT, and prefabricated timber solutions. Direct competitor in French multi-story wood construction, heritage, and industrial timber projects.
• Bonnin Charpente: French regional timber frame and carpentry contractor serving residential, agricultural, and public-sector clients in western France. Comparable regional peer with similar product mix and project-based delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Binderholz: Austrian family-owned sawn timber, glulam, and CLT producer with broad European distribution. Incumbent in CLT/glulam supply that competes with Cruard on large multi-story and public timber projects.
• Wiehag GmbH: Austrian timber construction specialist delivering large-span, multi-story, and complex engineered wood buildings across Europe. Overlaps with Cruard's sports complex, public building, and Hybridal-type work at a larger project scale.
• Stora Enso (Wood Products division): Large European CLT and engineered wood manufacturer serving construction, packaging, and industrial markets. Offers overlapping CLT/glulam capabilities but at much greater scale and broader geographic footprint.

Emerging players

• EGOIN: Spanish engineered wood manufacturer specializing in CLT, glulam, and prefabricated timber systems for construction. Emerging player in the Southern European market with growing French and international reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Cruard Carpentry