FORACO International commenced operations in 1961 manufacturing drilling equipment exporting product to Africa and Brazil.  During this period, the company also developed the first Vibro Percussive (Sonic) drills which were commissioned by Parker Drilling to drill the support piles for the Trans Alaska Pipeline. By the early 1970’s the company had established itself as a Drilling Contractor in the Ivory Coast with a contract to deliver 800 village drinking wells. These early African roots led to drilling wells for the man made water scheme in Libya and large (>1,000 well programs) in Mali and Niger.

During the 1980’s FORACO underwent a number of ownership changes including French oil Major Elf, who later transferred ownership to the internationally renowned French Geological Bureau – BRGM following the oil crisis.

The current major shareholders of FORACO purchased the company in 1997 and after witnessing the China driven minerals boom of 2004 – 2012 actively diversified the company’s service offering to include mineral exploration services in their traditional West African markets as well as water well drilling.

In 2007 FORACO was listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:FAR) and established a Canadian drilling division. This was followed by the acquisition of Mosslake Drilling in Australia in 2009 (and later JND in 2012).  FORACO later acquired Adviser Drilling in Chile and Argentina. In 2012 Servitec FORACO in Brazil was added to their growing global footprint.