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We are an investment holding company focused on creating long-term value, supported by ambition and innovation. We aim to add value to our portfolio companies, contributing to sustainable growth.
Our portfolio is made up of companies with a great legacy, companies with accelerated growth prospects and also a start-up investment company.
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Aware of the relevance of scientific and technological knowledge for its activities, in 1996, The Navigator Company created its own R&D center in partnership with three Portuguese universities: RAIZ – Forest and Paper Research Institute, a private non-profit center. RAIZ is recognized as an entity of the National Scientific and Technological System and as an Interface Center – Valorization and Technology Transfer Center. The activities of the Institute are mainly funded by The Navigator Company, other private entities, and public funds, both national and European.
RAIZ divides its activity between three research poles: Quinta de São Francisco and the Science and Innovation Park in the Aveiro region, and Herdade de Espirra in Pegões.
RAIZ aims to contribute to the competitiveness and sustainability of the eucalyptus sector, from the forest to the product. In this context, it aims at the production and transformation of knowledge into innovative products, technology, and services in the fields of forestry, pulp, paper, and forest-based biorefineries, helping to promote a new bioeconomy. The team of researchers, technicians, and fellows at RAIZ works closely with the operational (forestry and industry) and corporate areas of The Navigator Company and is involved in a vast network of national and international universities and R&D centers.
In 2022, RAIZ achieved third place in the national ranking of inventions, with a total of 20 patents submitted to the INPI – National Institute of Industrial Property. The constant search for solutions at the forefront of knowledge led RAIZ, in 2024, to once again achieve a prominent position. The work and projects initiated, consolidated, and completed in this R&D Laboratory, owned by The Navigator Company, the University of Aveiro, the University of Coimbra, and the University of Lisbon (through the Superior Institute of Agronomy) contributed to the Institute being among the TOP 10 Portuguese entities with the highest number of international patent applications.
The 12 patents submitted by RAIZ reinforce its leadership position among the most innovative entities in Portugal, according to the ranking of the largest Portuguese applicants under Portugal’s participation in the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It also reaffirms Navigator’s commitment to responsible value creation for society through sustainable, recyclable, and biodegradable products and solutions from planted eucalyptus forests. The list of 12 patents submitted is the result of the work and dedication of the research team in developing innovative and sustainable solutions.
The forestry sector in Portugal, particularly pulp and paper, has been responsible for creating high added value, exporting tradable goods, and creating jobs, with many agents involved in the production, transformation, and commercialization of its products. It also plays a role as a driving force in disadvantaged areas.
The demand for this raw material is expected to grow worldwide, due to the increase in current uses, as well as the development of new bioproducts by The Navigator Company, derived from cellulose. This highlights the crucial role of planted and well-managed forests in transitioning from a fossil-fuel-dependent and linear model to a circular forest-based bioeconomy. An example of this is the new applications of eucalyptus cellulose, as evidenced in the inpactus project, the largest investment ever made in Portugal in a R&D program in the field of forest-based bioeconomy, amounting to 15 million euros.
RAIZ research work demonstrates that the traditional process of producing pulp has a high potential to generate other valuable streams that can be used for new value-added products, ranging from a wide range of packaging solutions to the development of biofuels (bioethanol and biomethanol) and synthetic fuels (e-SAF and e-methanol), alternatives to those obtained today from fossil raw materials.
However, constraints persist in obtaining raw materials, resulting from restrictive policies on eucalyptus planting in our country. These restrictions limit the availability of raw materials and require the importation of wood that could be produced in Portugal, reducing external dependence and contributing to shorter supply chains with lower carbon intensity.
The positive externalities of forest valorization represent a reality well-known to The Navigator Company, which manages around 109,000 hectares of forest throughout the country. By valuing the forest, opportunities multiply for people along the value chain, creating conditions for higher profitability for forest owners and producers while reducing land abandonment and, consequently, the risk of fire.
Explore in depth the work of RAIZ – Forest and Paper Research Institute