FORAC
FORAC is a nonprofit research consortium at Université Laval that develops operations research methods and decision-support technologies for designing and managing forest value chains for the Canadian forest products industry.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersQuebec City, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What FORAC does
FORAC (De la forêt au client / From forest to customer) is a university-affiliated research consortium founded in 2002 and hosted at Université Laval in Quebec City, Canada. Its mandate is to develop, study, and validate business models, methods, and decision-support technologies for designing and managing innovative forest value creation networks, with the stated aim of improving the competitiveness of the Canadian forest products industry from a sustainable development perspective. The consortium aggregates multidisciplinary expertise spanning forestry, industrial and mechanical engineering, computer science and software engineering, and business administration, organized around three complementary research axes: data, networks, and adaptation.
The consortium's underlying technology centers on operations research and decision support, including business model development and validation, decision-support models for forest value networks, and exploration of Industry 4.0 concepts within fiber transformation centers. Its research program runs in multi-year phases, most recently the FORAC 4.0 program (2019-2024) focused on data exploitation across the forest-to-customer chain, followed by the 2025-2030 program. Knowledge transfer occurs through educational games, training tools, web platforms co-developed with industrial partners, an annual Expo-Conférence drawing 70+ members, and a recurring Petit Déjeuners seminar series.
FORAC does not sell products or services commercially. It operates as a nonprofit consortium funded through partner contributions from industry members and grants from government agencies, principally NSERC-CRSNG, with supporting partnerships from MRNF (Quebec), NRCan (federal), and Université Laval as host institution. Core industry partners include Domtar, Kruger, Groupe Lebel, FQCF, and FPInnovations, alongside broader academic and industry membership. The entity is private, non-listed, and structurally embedded within Université Laval's research infrastructure, with a headcount of approximately 20 employees and a Quebec-focused operating geography.
FORAC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FORAC
- Legal name
- Consortium FORAC
- Website
- https://forac.ulaval.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- FORAC is a nonprofit research consortium at Université Laval that develops operations research methods and decision-support technologies for designing and managing forest value chains for the Canadian forest products industry.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FORAC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Forestry Research Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Forestry (1153)
- SIC
- Forestry (800), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Timberland Asset Management & Consulting (AFAMAAAI)
Keywords
Where FORAC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Quebec City
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
FORAC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
FORAC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FORAC is a research consortium that develops, studies, and validates business models, methods, and decision-support technologies for the design and management of innovative forest value creation networks. From a sustainable development perspective, it contributes to improving the competitiveness of the Canadian forest products industry, organized around three complementary research axes: data, networks, and adaptation. Knowledge-transfer activities (educational games, tools, trainings, web platforms) are delivered in collaboration with industrial partners.
Product overview
FORAC is a research consortium at Université Laval focused on operations research for the Canadian forestry products industry. The organization develops, studies, and validates business models, methods, and decision-support technologies for the design and management of innovative forest value chain networks. Its research program covers three complementary axes: data, networks, and adaptation. FORAC conducts knowledge transfer activities including educational games, tools and trainings, and web platforms developed in collaboration with industrial partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- FORAC 4.0 Research Program A multi-year (2019-2024) collaborative research program that develops, studies, and validates business models, methods, and decision-support technologies for innovative forest value creation networks, organized around three axes: data, networks, and adaptation. Designed for Canadian forest products industry partners, government agencies, and academic researchers co-funding and co-developing the research.
- FORAC Research Program 2025-2030 The next-generation multi-year research program (2025-2030) succeeding FORAC 4.0, focused on real industrial problems facing the Canadian forest products industry through collaborative projects with industry partners, government agencies, and Université Laval researchers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Research program 2025-2030 addressing data management, collaborative networks, and manufacturing 4.0 integration
Companies that use FORAC
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
FORAC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
FORAC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Université LavalcoreHost institution providing academic infrastructure, researchers, and student talent. Core academic partner for the consortium.
- FPInnovationscoreResearch institute specializing in forest products innovation, contributing research expertise
- MRNF (Ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts du Québec)coreQuebec government ministry providing forestry expertise and potential research funding
- DomtarcoreMajor forest products company participating in consortium research projects
- FQCF (Fédération québécoise des coopératives forestières)coreFederation representing forest cooperatives, providing industry perspective
- Groupe LebelcoreForest products company participating in research activities
- KrugercoreForest products company participating in consortium research
- NRCan (Natural Resources Canada)coreFederal government department supporting forestry research initiatives
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
FORAC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- European Forest Institute (EFI): EFI is a Pan-European international research organization conducting forest-related research and policy support. It is a direct peer to FORAC due to its mandate on forest value chain sustainability, multi-country partnerships, and applied research collaboration with member institutions.
- FPInnovations: FPInnovations is Canada's national forest products research institute, conducting applied R&D across pulp, paper, wood products, and bioenergy. It is a direct peer to FORAC given the overlapping mandate of forest value chain research, partnership with industry players, and collaboration with government.
- NIBIO (Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research): NIBIO is Norway's leading research institute for the bioeconomy, with forestry as a core domain. It is a direct peer to FORAC because of its applied focus on forest resource management, value chain research, and multi-stakeholder partnership model serving a national forest industry.
- Forest Research (UK): Forest Research is the UK's principal organization for forestry and tree-related research, operating under the Forestry Commission. It is a direct peer to FORAC via its applied research mandate on forest management, value chain optimization, and industry-government partnership model.
- SCION: SCION is New Zealand's Crown Research Institute specializing in forestry, wood products, and biomaterials. It is a direct peer to FORAC because of its applied research focus on forest value chains, decision-support tools, and industry-government partnerships serving a national forest products industry.
- CIFOR-ICRAF: CIFOR-ICRAF is a global research partnership focused on forestry and agroforestry. It is a direct peer to FORAC in the sense of conducting applied forestry research with international, multi-stakeholder partnerships and a focus on sustainable forest value chains.
- CSIRO (Forestry and Forest Products): CSIRO is Australia's national science agency with a forestry research portfolio covering sustainable forest management and wood products innovation. It is a direct peer to FORAC given its applied forestry mandate, multi-stakeholder model, and emphasis on industry-relevant research outcomes.
- Skogforsk (Forest Research Institute of Sweden): Skogforsk is the Swedish forestry research institute focused on efficient and sustainable forestry. It is a direct peer to FORAC through its applied research on forest operations, supply chains, and decision-support tools, with industry and government co-funding.
Emerging players
- IUFRO (International Union of Forest Research Organizations): IUFRO is a global network that coordinates forest research collaboration across institutions. It is an emerging player peer to FORAC in its role of enabling applied forest research and acting as a coordination point for research institutions, though it does not run its own labs.
- Forisk: Forisk is a US-based forestry research and consulting firm specializing in timberland investment research and forest industry analysis. It is an emerging player peer to FORAC's forestry value chain research, though it operates commercially rather than as a nonprofit consortium.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
FORAC social profiles
Digital presenceFORAC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FORAC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
FORAC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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FORAC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about FORAC
What does FORAC do?
FORAC is a research consortium that develops, studies, and validates business models, methods, and decision-support technologies for the design and management of innovative forest value creation networks. From a sustainable development perspective, it contributes to improving the competitiveness of the Canadian forest products industry, organized around three complementary research axes: data, networks, and adaptation. Knowledge-transfer activities (educational games, tools, trainings, web platforms) are delivered in collaboration with industrial partners.
Is FORAC a public or private company?
FORAC is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was FORAC founded?
FORAC was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is FORAC based?
FORAC is headquartered in Quebec City, Canada, in the North America region.
Who are FORAC's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are European Forest Institute (EFI), FPInnovations, NIBIO (Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research), Forest Research (UK), SCION, CIFOR-ICRAF, CSIRO (Forestry and Forest Products) and Skogforsk (Forest Research Institute of Sweden). Emerging players are IUFRO (International Union of Forest Research Organizations) and Forisk.
Does FORAC have an API?
No public API is recorded for FORAC.
What industry is FORAC in?
FORAC's product category is Forestry Research Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAMAAAI, Timberland Asset Management & Consulting. Its NAICS code is 1153 and its SIC code is 800.