XERA Agency for forest-based industry

What XERA Agency for forest-based industry does

XERA (Axencia Galega da Industria Forestal) is the dedicated public regional agency of the Xunta de Galicia responsible for promoting the forest-based industry in Galicia, Spain. Established by Decreto 81/2017 on 3 August 2017, it operates with its own legal personality, patrimony, treasury, and management autonomy, attached to the Consellería do Medio Rural and the consellería competent in economy and industry matters. Its mandate covers the entire forest-mountain-industry chain — silviculture, first-stage timber transformation, biomass energy, and wood-based construction — with an explicit focus on improving competitiveness and innovation of Galician forestry enterprises, generating quality rural employment, and promoting sustainable forest management.

The agency's core offerings are non-commercial: it administers annual and multi-year aid programs (the subsidy catalogue runs continuously from 2018 through 2026), including the dedicated XERA-Madeira (MR502) line with a 5 million euros budget to promote wood use in new construction and renovations, and it coordinates the Forest Industry-Madeira Master Plan 2026-2028 endowed with 114 million euros across 88 measures. It also coordinates two wholly-owned research centers — CIS-Madeira (Centro de Investigación e Servizos da Madeira) and CIF Lourizán (forest experimentation) — and produces the annual Cadena Forestal-Madera report and technical guides. Galiforest, its biennial forestry fair held in Boqueixón, reached an all-time record 387 companies and 125 direct exhibitors in 2026. The agency has published a guide (Guía para o fomento da madeira na contratación pública) under which the Galician Administration has committed to incorporate wood as a structural element in up to 20% of public structures.

XERA is funded entirely through the public budget of the Xunta de Galicia and generates no commercial revenue. It serves two principal customer segments: (i) forest and wood-industry companies (timber, biomass, wood construction) across Galicia, and (ii) public administration entities leveraging wood in public works. Headcount disclosed at the core management level is approximately five officials (Director Alfredo Fernández Ríos, Xerente María Purificación Lloret Ares, and area heads for Innovation, Promotion & Quality, and Forest Information), supported by competitive selection processes and subsidiary-center staff. There is no proprietary technology, no software product, no API, and no disclosed AI/ML capability.

Name

XERA Agency for forest-based industry

Legal name

Axencia Galega da Industria Forestal

Website

https://xera.xunta.gal

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

XERA (Axencia Galega da Industria Forestal) is a public regional agency of the Xunta de Galicia that promotes Galicia's forest-based industry through subsidies, research coordination, and sector events. It serves forestry firms, biomass producers, wood-construction companies, and public administration entities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forestry Industry Support Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Support Activities for Forestry (115310)

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Forest Management & Silviculture Services (Cruising, Planning, Compliance) (IMAMAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Forest Certification, Compliance & Chain-of-Custody Support (AFAMAAAH)

Keywords

• Forest industry support
• Government subsidies forestry
• Wood construction promotion
• Biomass energy programs
• Forest sector research

Headquarters

HQ city

Santiago de Compostela

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

XERA is a public regional agency that provides subsidies, grants, and support programs to companies, associations, and individuals operating in Galicia's forest-mountain-industry chain. It manages aid programs such as XERA-Madeira (MR502) for wood-based construction projects, produces annual Cadena Forestal-Madera sector reports, coordinates research centers CIS-Madeira and CIF Lourizán, and organizes the Galiforest biennial trade fair and the Frondosas Symposium.

Product overview

XERA Agency operates as a unified government agency focused on supporting and developing the forest-based industry in Galicia. Its core offerings include the XERA-Madeira (MR502) subsidy program for wood construction projects, annual Cadena Forestal-Madera reports providing sector intelligence, and various aid programs spanning 2018-2026. The agency also coordinates research centers (CIS-Madeira, CIF Lourizán) and organizes events like the Galiforest biennial fair and the Frondosas Symposium. XERA functions as a public agency without a traditional software product, providing government aid, research publications, and sector coordination services rather than commercial technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• XERA-Madeira (MR502) Subsidy program providing aid for the drafting of projects and execution of works employing wood products as structural elements, available to companies, associations, and private individuals in Galicia.
• Forestry Industry Aid Programs (Axudas) Annual subsidy and grant programs for the forestry industry sector in Galicia, covering initiatives from 2018 through 2026 to promote forest industry activities, including silviculture, timber transformation, biomass, and wood construction.
• Cadena Forestal-Madera Reports Annual reports and analyses of the forest-wood chain in Galicia, including economic data, sector statistics, and sociodemographic studies of forestry workers, used as sector intelligence by companies and policymakers.
• Galiforest Biennial Fair Biennial forestry sector exhibition organized by XERA, featuring machinery demonstrations, innovation competitions, and technical activities for forestry companies and stakeholders.
• CIS-Madeira Centro de Investigación e Servizos (CIS-Madeira), the forest research and services center coordinated by XERA that delivers applied research and innovation services to the Galician wood industry.
• CIF Lourizán Centro de Investigación Forestal de Lourizán, the forest experimentation center coordinated by XERA, conducting applied research for the Galician forestry sector.

Quantifiable outcome

• Biomass sector generates 68 million euros annually in Galicia
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Metsäkeskus (Finnish Forest Centre): Finnish Forest Centre delivers support services for forest owners, silviculture advice, and sector data. Comparable to XERA in providing state-funded forest advisory services, owner support, and forest-chain reporting for a regional forest economy.
• Metsähallitus: Finnish state-owned forestry agency that manages state forests, promotes wood use, and administers forest-sector programs. Comparable to XERA in role as a public forestry-promotion body coordinating research, timber supply, and bioeconomy initiatives at national/regional level.
• Skogsstyrelsen (Swedish Forest Agency): Swedish national forest agency responsible for forest policy, regulation, silviculture support, and sector promotion. Closely comparable to XERA as a statutory authority promoting competitiveness and sustainable forest management.

Broad incumbents

• European Forest Institute (EFI): Pan-European intergovernmental research organization coordinating forest policy, bioeconomy, and innovation research. Comparable to XERA at the broader/super-national level in coordinating forest research centers and producing forest-chain intelligence that informs public programs.
• INIA / CSIC – Forest Research: Spain's national agricultural and forestry research bodies (INIA/CSIC) operate forest research centers analogous to CIS-Madeira and CIF Lourizán. Comparable to XERA as a public-sector forest R&D provider informing national forest policy and applied innovation.
• Forestry Commission (UK): UK national forestry authority responsible for regulation, woodland creation, R&D, and sector support across Great Britain. Comparable to XERA as a large public forestry agency; differs as a national-level actor and woodland owner, versus XERA's regional-industry focus.

Regional players

• Junta de Castilla y León – Servicios de Medio Ambiente: Regional government of Castile and León (Spain) administering forestry policy, fire management, and sector promotion in another major Spanish timber region. Comparable to XERA as a Spanish regional public-sector actor supporting the forest industry within its own territory.

Emerging players

• Instituto Forestal (INFOR) – Chile: Chilean national forest research institute providing forest inventory, R&D, and sector statistics for South America's second-largest timber exporter. Comparable to XERA in public-sector forest research and reporting — though under a national rather than regional remit.

Others

• Lignum Facile: Galician wood-in-construction platform referenced directly on XERA's own website (linked from the agency's main page). Comparable as an ecosystem partner promoting timber use in building — directly aligned with XERA-Madeira subsidy objectives.
• PEFC International: Global non-profit promoting sustainable forest management through certification schemes used by supply chains. Relevant ecosystem peer to XERA because sustainable forest management compliance and certification are core elements of Galician forestry policy that XERA supports.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AxenciaGalegaIndustriaForestal
• Facebookfacebook.com/XERAindustriaforestal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/xera-axencia-da-industria-forestal
• Instagraminstagram.com/xera.xunta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 XERA Agency for forest-based industry