Proton Data Security

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.

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

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

• Data destruction hardware
• Hard drive degaussers
• NSA approved degaussers
• Hard drive crushers
• Media sanitization equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. 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).
2. 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.
3. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core 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

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Dealer/Reseller PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProton 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/ProtonData

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Proton Data Security