Trex Enterprises
Trex Enterprises is a privately held, employee-owned defense and dual-use technology company that develops advanced millimeter-wave, imaging, optical, and wireless communications systems for U.S. government, military, aviation, and select commercial customers, operating through wholly-owned subsidiaries and venture spin-offs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Trex Enterprises does
Trex Enterprises is a privately held, employee-owned diversified high-technology company founded in 1978 (originally as Western Research Corporation) and headquartered in El Cajon, California. After a 2000 management buyout from Thermo Electron Corporation, the company has operated as an independent entity developing dual-use technologies spanning millimeter-wave sensing, lasercom, optical switching, multi-frequency antennas, adaptive optics, high-resolution imaging, digital signal processing, applied optics, and advanced materials such as Silicon Carbide composites. Its core platform encompasses passive millimeter-wave imaging, photoconductor-on-active-pixel (POAP) CMOS sensors, rapid optical beam steering (ROBS), and chemical vapor composite materials, supported by a portfolio of 120+ awarded patents and 57 pending applications.
The company's commercial footprint runs through wholly-owned subsidiaries: Trex Aviation Systems (FAA-certified FOD Finder runway debris detection systems sold to airports), Sago Systems (passive millimeter-wave security imaging products iPat, aPat, and ST-150 with worldwide export approval), Loea Corporation (E-band millimeter-wave wireless radios such as the L2240 OC48 and L1000 Any Rate products), CrossFiber (3D MEMS optical switches for fiber networks), e-Phocus (POAP-based CMOS image sensors including the Hi-Sight line), Ophthonix (customized ophthalmic lenses), Silicon Kinetics (porous silicon biosensors), and Trex Federal Systems (government contracting). Primary customers are U.S. government, defense, and aviation buyers including the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, FAA-certified airports (Chicago O'Hare, Phoenix Sky Harbor, McClellan-Palomar, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma), and prime defense contractors such as Northrop Grumman.
Trex monetizes through direct hardware sales to airports and government agencies (FOD Finder units priced at $400K or leased at $12K-$15K/month; radios in the $24K range; OC48 wireless links at higher enterprise tiers), U.S. government contracts including SBIR awards, technology licensing (e.g., Northrop Grumman celestial navigation), and the creation of venture-backed subsidiaries with outside equity participation. Facilities are spread across California, Hawaii (Honolulu, Maui, Kauai), Massachusetts, and New Mexico. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.
Trex Enterprises firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Trex Enterprises
- Legal name
- Trex Enterprise Corporation
- Website
- https://trexenterprises.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Trex Enterprises is a privately held, employee-owned defense and dual-use technology company that develops advanced millimeter-wave, imaging, optical, and wireless communications systems for U.S. government, military, aviation, and select commercial customers, operating through wholly-owned subsidiaries and venture spin-offs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Trex Enterprises industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Defense and Aerospace Technology Systems
- NAICS
- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing (33429)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Communications Equipment, Nec (3669)
- akta.pro primary industry
- IFF/Identification, Beaconing & Cooperative Surveillance Systems (IMABAGAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Surveillance & Identification Avionics (ADS-B/Transponders/TCAS) (IMABAFAM), Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD), Microwave & RF Signal Chain ICs (Mixers/Detectors/Attenuators) (HDAHAMAL), Physical Security IoT & Smart Building Security Integration (Sensors, BMS tie-ins) (BPAKAGAL), Radar Systems & Subsystems (Airborne, Ground, Naval) (IMABAGAA)
Keywords
Where Trex Enterprises is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Trex Enterprises business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Direct sales of FOD detection systems (FOD Finder XF and XM), wireless communications products (Loea radios), security imaging systems (Sago products), and optical components.
- U.S. Government Contracts: U.S. government support for programs relating to defense, homeland security and force protection needs. SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) awards.
- Technology Licensing: Licensing of proprietary technologies to partners such as Northrop Grumman for celestial navigation integration into military products.
- Commercial Incubation: Creation of venture-backed subsidiaries (Loea, Sago, CrossFiber, e-Phocus, Silicon Kinetics, Ophthonix) with outside equity participation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | FOD Finder V2 Fixed - Fixed runway FOD detection system |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | FOD Finder V2 Mobile - Mobile FOD detection with vacuum |
| One time/ perpetual license | One-time purchase | L1000 Wireless Radio |
| One time/ perpetual license | One-time purchase | Loea L2240 OC48 Wireless Communications Product |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Trex Enterprises product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Trex Enterprises designs, develops, and manufactures advanced technology products across the electromagnetic spectrum, including Foreign Object Debris (FOD) detection radar systems for airport runways, passive millimeter-wave imaging systems for security screening, high-speed point-to-point wireless communications radios, and adaptive optics/laser radar systems for defense applications. The company also produces CMOS image sensors, optical switches, and biosensor technologies, commercializing many of these through dedicated subsidiary companies.
Product overview
Trex Enterprises is a diversified high-technology company offering a portfolio of specialized products across multiple domains: aviation safety systems (FOD Finder V2 Fixed and Mobile for runway debris detection), passive millimeter-wave imaging (Sago Systems brand for security screening including ST-150, iPat, and aPat imagers), wireless communications (Loea Corporation products including L2240 OC48, L1000 Any Rate, and L2800 radios), optics and laser radar (adaptive optics, celestial navigation, ROBS tracking systems, 3DATA, RTATS, and FIRST), image sensors (POAP and Hi-Sight CMOS technology), and biosensors (Silicon Kinetics). The company also offers CrossFiber optical switches. Products are developed for defense, homeland security, aviation, and commercial markets with dual-use technology strategy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FOD Finder: Foreign Object Debris detection systems for airport runways using millimeter-wave radar technology, available in fixed and mobile versions
- Sago Systems
- Loea
- e-Phocus
- Ophthonix
- Silicon Kinetics
- CrossFiber
- Trex Federal Systems
Products and services
- FOD Finder V2 Fixed Fixed-location dual-sensor system employing millimeter-wave radar technology to detect and identify Foreign Object Debris on runways. Provides continuous 24/7 surveillance of runways and taxiways with geotagging accuracy of 5 feet. Designed for commercial and military airports.
- FOD Finder V2 Mobile The only FAA-certified mobile FOD detection system. Millimeter-wave radar mounted on vehicles operates day/night in all weather conditions at speeds up to 30 mph, detecting and cataloging debris on airfield surfaces.
- Aviation Passive Millimeter-Wave Camera
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% detection capability in all weather conditions
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Trex Enterprises
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Trex Enterprises technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature6 records
Trex Enterprises partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Northrop GrummancoreLicensing agreement for Trex Enterprises' celestial navigation technology to be integrated into Northrop Grumman's precision targeting laser systems for U.S. military and allied forces. Northrop Grumman produces and integrates the celestial navigation capability into ground targeting systems. Trex developed and matured the core technology for highly accurate celestial navigation subsystems.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves14 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Trex Enterprises competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Xsight Systems: Xsight Systems develops sensor-based FOD detection, runway condition monitoring, and异物 detection on airport surfaces using radar and optical sensors, directly competing with Trex Aviation Systems' FOD Finder platforms.
- Physical Optics Corporation: Physical Optics Corporation is a closely analogous diversified defense R&D house with an SBIR-driven model, developing sensors, imaging, optical switching, and mmWave products for defense and homeland security—matching Trex's technology breadth and customer profile.
- Mercury Systems: Mercury Systems designs and manufactures RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave subassemblies, signal processing boards, and mission-critical defense electronics that overlap directly with Trex's sensor and mmWave communications portfolio across U.S. defense primes.
- Siklu Communication: Siklu is a direct peer to Trex's Loea subsidiary, selling E-band (70/80 GHz) and V-band millimeter-wave point-to-point wireless radios for backhaul and security markets, occupying the same spectrum and product category.
- Tarsier Systems (Cobalt): Tarsier Systems is the principal direct competitor to Trex's FOD Finder millimeter-wave runway debris detection systems, offering both fixed and mobile FOD solutions that compete head-to-head for the same airport customers.
Broad incumbents
- L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris is a large defense electronics prime with broad radar, surveillance avionics, and adaptive optics programs that overlap Trex's FOD, mmWave imaging, and AEOS telescope work and is capable of internalizing or acquiring competing products.
- Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC): SAIC is a large federal systems integrator and R&D contractor addressing defense, homeland security, and intelligence customers with sensor, electronic warfare, and mission integration services that broadly compete with Trex Federal Systems and the parent company's SBIR-derived programs.
- Smiths Detection: Smiths Detection is a global incumbent in aviation and checkpoint security screening, competing with Trex's Sago Systems passive millimeter-wave people-screening products across airports, customs, and government facilities.
Emerging players
- SRC Holdings (SRC Inc.): SRC Inc. is a not-for-profit defense R&D organization similar to Trex's roots, working on radar, electronic warfare, and counter-IED sensors for the U.S. military and serving overlapping customer missions in radar-based detection.
Regional players
- Thales Group: Thales is a global aerospace and defense incumbent with significant radar, surveillance, and security screening portfolios in Europe and Asia that overlap with Trex's mmWave imaging and FOD detection offerings across international airport and defense customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Trex Enterprises social profiles
Digital presenceTrex Enterprises financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Trex Enterprises leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Trex Enterprises subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries8 records
Trex Enterprises funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Trex Enterprises M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Trex Enterprises
What does Trex Enterprises do?
Trex Enterprises designs, develops, and manufactures advanced technology products across the electromagnetic spectrum, including Foreign Object Debris (FOD) detection radar systems for airport runways, passive millimeter-wave imaging systems for security screening, high-speed point-to-point wireless communications radios, and adaptive optics/laser radar systems for defense applications. The company also produces CMOS image sensors, optical switches, and biosensor technologies, commercializing many of these through dedicated subsidiary companies.
Is Trex Enterprises a public or private company?
Trex Enterprises is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Trex Enterprises founded?
Trex Enterprises was founded in 1978. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Trex Enterprises based?
Trex Enterprises is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does Trex Enterprises make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are U.S. Government Contracts, technology Licensing and commercial Incubation.
Who are Trex Enterprises's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Xsight Systems, Physical Optics Corporation, Mercury Systems, Siklu Communication and Tarsier Systems (Cobalt). Broad incumbents are L3Harris Technologies, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and Smiths Detection. SRC Holdings (SRC Inc.) is listed as an emerging player. Thales Group is listed as a regional player.
Does Trex Enterprises have an API?
No public API is recorded for Trex Enterprises.
What industry is Trex Enterprises in?
Trex Enterprises's product category is Defense and Aerospace Technology Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAGAF, IFF/Identification, Beaconing & Cooperative Surveillance Systems, with a secondary code of IMABAFAM, Surveillance & Identification Avionics (ADS-B/Transponders/TCAS). Its NAICS code is 334511 and its SIC code is 3812.