Latin American forestry company ARAUCO Investigaciones Forestales Bioforest S.A. is a new corporate member of the Institute of Paper Science and Technology (IPST). Celulosa Arauco y Constitución S.A. (ARAUCO) is one of the major forestry companies in Latin America, with 2011 sales exceeding US$4.3 billion. The company employs more than 35,000 through its industrial operations in Chile, Argentina and Brazil, in addition to its network of sales offices around the world.

“We welcome ARAUCO and look forward to a productive relationship,” said IPST director Norman Marsolan. “They add another dimension to our international roster of high-profile forest bioproducts companies.”

ARAUCO operates in five business segments:

Forestry: ARAUCO’s forest land is distributed throughout Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay with 2.5 million acres of forest plantations, 963,700 acres of native forest and 484,300 acres assigned for other purposes.
Woodpulp: The company produces 3.2 million tons per year of bleached and unbleached market Kraft pulp.
Timber: A total of 2.7 million cubic meters a year are produced in Chile and Argentina.
Panels: 6.2 million cubic meters a year are produced in Chile, Argentina, Brazil, USA and Canada.
Bioenergy: In Chile, ARAUCO provides electric energy for its industrial operations through its cogeneration power plants, which sell to Chile’s energy grid.

ARAUCO owns 963,700 acres in Chile for preservation, research and conservation