Proton Data Security
Proton Data Security is a U.S. manufacturer, founded 1987 in Atlanta, of NSA-listed degaussers, hard drive crushers, and media shredders for government, healthcare, financial, and enterprise buyers needing certified end-of-life data destruction hardware.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Proton Data Security does
Proton Data Security is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of end-of-life data destruction hardware, founded in 1987 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The company designs and builds degaussers (T-1, T-1.5, T-4, T-5, and the 1100 handheld wand), hard drive crushers (PDS-75, PDS-100, PDS-125), and solid-state/multimedia shredders (PDS-88, PDS-104, PDS-105, PDS-SSD), along with accessory products such as the DataDefender Security Cart, deployment cases, and crusher modifications. Its core technology is high-strength magnetic degaussing — the T-4 uses a patented reverse polarity method that produces a 20,000 Gauss bidirectional field for thorough erasure of high-density magnetic media — paired with mechanical destruction equipment for second-stage physical sanitization.
The company's revenue model is hardware sales of one-time-purchase equipment, with quote-based enterprise pricing and a mix of direct sales (phone and website request-a-quote) and a dealer/reseller channel. Products are manufactured in the United States and are listed on the NSA Evaluated Products List, meet DoD requirements for media sanitization, and are NATO-, CE-, and CESG-listed, positioning the company as a supplier to U.S. government defense and intelligence agencies, allied governments, and regulated commercial buyers in healthcare, financial services, and data center/IT asset disposition. The customer base spans classified government work, HIPAA-covered entities, FACTA-regulated financial institutions, and general enterprises with end-of-life media disposal obligations.
Proton Data Security firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Proton Data Security
- Legal name
- Proton Data Security
- Website
- https://protondata.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Proton Data Security is a U.S. manufacturer, founded 1987 in Atlanta, of NSA-listed degaussers, hard drive crushers, and media shredders for government, healthcare, financial, and enterprise buyers needing certified end-of-life data destruction hardware.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Proton Data Security industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Data Destruction Equipment
- NAICS
- Computer Storage Device Manufacturing (334112)
- SIC
- Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) & Secure Data Erasure (BPAEAOAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Data Destruction Services (On-site/Off-site, Media Sanitization) (BPALAIAC), Enterprise Hardware Recycling (Servers, Storage, Networking) (BPALAIAI), IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) & Data Destruction (EUAIAIAB)
Keywords
Where Proton Data Security is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Proton Data Security business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales - Degaussers: Sale of high-strength magnetic degaussers for erasing data from hard disk drives and magnetic tape. Products include tabletop degaussers (T-1, T-1.5, T-4, T-5) and handheld degaussing wands. Revenue is generated through one-time hardware purchases, with enterprise pricing based on equipment specifications and certifications (NSA, DoD, NATO).
- Hardware Sales - Hard Drive Destroyers/Crushers: Sale of physical hard drive destruction equipment (PDS-75, PDS-100, PDS-125) that crush or bend hard drives as a second-stage destruction step after degaussing. Products available with various modifications including battery packs, autoloaders, and transport cases.
- Hardware Sales - Shredders and Accessories: Sale of solid-state media shredders (PDS-88, 104, 105) for destroying SSDs, USB drives, and optical media. Also includes accessories such as deployment cases, destruction carts, and security bins. Revenue from one-time product sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Proton T-4 Degausser - High-end commercial degausser with 20,000 Gauss and reverse polarity technology |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Proton 1100 Degaussing Wand - Handheld portable degausser under 1000 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | PDS-75 Hard Drive Crusher - Base manual crusher model |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Proton Data Security product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Proton Data Security designs, manufactures, and sells data destruction hardware for permanently erasing sensitive data from hard disk drives, magnetic tape, solid-state media, and optical media. Its product portfolio comprises NSA-listed and DoD-approved high-strength magnetic degaussers (T-1.5, T-4, T-5, 1100 Wand), hard drive destroyers/crushers (PDS-75, PDS-100, PDS-125) that physically bend drives 90 degrees, and multimedia shredders (PDS-78, PDS-88, Proton 104, Proton 105). All equipment is manufactured in the United States and sold to government, healthcare, financial, and enterprise customers requiring regulatory-compliant media sanitization.
Product overview
Proton Data Security is a manufacturer of data destruction hardware offering a comprehensive portfolio of degaussers, hard drive destroyers/crushers, and shredders. The product line centers on degaussers (T-1, T-1.5, T-4, T-5, and 1100 Wand) that use powerful magnetic fields to demagnetize and erase data from hard drives and magnetic media, followed by physical destruction via PDS-series crushers (PDS-75, PDS-100, PDS-125) that bend drives 90 degrees, and PDS-88/104/105 multimedia shredders for solid state media. Accessories include the DataDefender Security Cart, deployment cases, and various crusher modifications (autoloaders, rear output slides, rackmounts, battery packs). All products are proudly manufactured in the United States and meet or exceed NSA and DoD requirements.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DataDefender™ Security Cart: Lockable security cart designed for mobility, minimal operator handling and efficient degaussing to NSA standards.
Products and services
- Proton T-1 Hard Drive Degausser Hard drive degausser for magnetic media destruction. Listed as Coming Soon on the manufacturer's website.
- Proton T-1.5 Hard Drive Degausser
Quantifiable outcome
- T-4 degausser produces 20,000 Gauss bidirectional field; can penetrate media rated up to 15,000 Gauss; degausses hard drives in seconds
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Proton Data Security
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Proton Data Security technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Proton Data Security partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Dealer/Reseller PartnerscoreProton Data Security maintains a network of dealer and reseller partners who sell and distribute the company's NSA-listed degaussers, hard drive destroyers, and shredders to government and commercial end customers. The company actively recruits new dealers through its website 'Become a Dealer' program and New Dealer Inquiry form.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Proton Data Security competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Garner Products: Garner Products is the closest direct competitor to Proton Data Security, manufacturing NSA-approved degaussers and hard drive destroyers (e.g., Garner HD-3WXL, PD-4 destroyer) for secure media sanitization. Both companies compete for the same federal, healthcare, and enterprise customers with overlapping NSA EPL listings.
- VS Security Products (Velosecure): VS Security Products (formerly known as Datastroyer / VS And Son) manufactures degaussers and hard drive destroyers, including NSA-approved models like the CDD-1100. They compete head-to-head with Proton in the federal/defense and enterprise data destruction hardware market.
- Security Engineered Machinery (SEM): SEM designs and manufactures NSA-approved hard drive destroyers and shredders for classified media destruction. Their product line overlaps directly with Proton's PDS series crushers and SSD shredders, serving similar federal/military customers.
- BOW Industries: BOW Industries manufactures a range of degaussers and tape erasers including NSA-listed models. They compete with Proton in the niche of high-security magnetic media erasure equipment used by DoD and intelligence customers.
- Data Security Inc. Data Security Inc. (formerly known as Krys-tel) is one of the original manufacturers of degaussing equipment, with multiple products on the NSA EPL. They directly overlap with Proton's degausser portfolio in the government/defense channel.
Broad incumbents
- Whitaker Brothers: Whitaker Brothers provides a broad range of data destruction equipment including degaussers, shredders, and disintegrators alongside document destruction and paper shredding solutions. Their broader product portfolio means they overlap with Proton in hardware but also serve office/document destruction markets Proton does not address.
- intimus (by Martin Yale): intimus is a large global manufacturer of industrial shredders including data/media destruction shredders. They compete with Proton's PDS-88/104/105 shredder line but operate as a much broader office shredding incumbent.
- Kobra Shredders: Kobra is an established shredder manufacturer (Italian origin) selling a wide range of office and data destruction shredders. Their multimedia/SSD-capable models overlap with Proton's multimedia shredder SKUs but lack NSA-specific destruction focus.
- HSM GmbH: HSM is a large German manufacturer of shredders and baling equipment including media/multimedia shredders. They serve a much broader office/industrial market but overlap with Proton in the data destruction shredder category.
Others
- Iron Mountain: Iron Mountain is the dominant ITAD service provider and a major purchaser of degausser and shredder hardware from manufacturers like Proton. They are an ecosystem participant as the largest buyer of ITAD-related destruction equipment rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Proton Data Security social profiles
Digital presenceProton Data Security compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
Proton Data Security financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Proton Data Security leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Proton Data Security funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Proton Data Security M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Proton Data Security
What does Proton Data Security do?
Proton Data Security designs, manufactures, and sells data destruction hardware for permanently erasing sensitive data from hard disk drives, magnetic tape, solid-state media, and optical media. Its product portfolio comprises NSA-listed and DoD-approved high-strength magnetic degaussers (T-1.5, T-4, T-5, 1100 Wand), hard drive destroyers/crushers (PDS-75, PDS-100, PDS-125) that physically bend drives 90 degrees, and multimedia shredders (PDS-78, PDS-88, Proton 104, Proton 105). All equipment is manufactured in the United States and sold to government, healthcare, financial, and enterprise customers requiring regulatory-compliant media sanitization.
Is Proton Data Security a public or private company?
Proton Data Security is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Proton Data Security founded?
Proton Data Security was founded in 1987. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Proton Data Security based?
Proton Data Security is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does Proton Data Security make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales - Degaussers are the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales - Hard Drive Destroyers/Crushers and hardware Sales - Shredders and Accessories.
Who are Proton Data Security's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Garner Products, VS Security Products (Velosecure), Security Engineered Machinery (SEM), BOW Industries and Data Security Inc.. Broad incumbents are Whitaker Brothers, intimus (by Martin Yale), Kobra Shredders and HSM GmbH. Iron Mountain is listed as an others.
Does Proton Data Security have an API?
No public API is recorded for Proton Data Security.
What industry is Proton Data Security in?
Proton Data Security's product category is Data Destruction Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEAOAK, IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) & Secure Data Erasure, with a secondary code of BPALAIAC, Data Destruction Services (On-site/Off-site, Media Sanitization). Its NAICS code is 334112 and its SIC code is 3600.