What Frontier Technology does

Frontier Technology Corporation is a privately held, family-owned nuclear product manufacturer founded in 1984 and headquartered in Xenia, Ohio. The company specializes in californium-252 (Cf-252) neutron source manufacturing and encapsulation, producing single-encapsulated Model 10 and double-encapsulated Model 100 sources using Type 304L stainless steel, Zircaloy-2, and platinum alloys sealed by circumferential TIG welding at ±10% tolerance. Frontier self-describes as the world's leading manufacturer of sealed Cf-252 neutron sources since 1984 and supplies complete nuclear start-up rod assemblies, antimony-beryllium pellets, USDOT Type-A Specification 7A shipping containers, and proprietary NuWEP® water-extended polyethylene shielding materials and walls. All products comply with NRC, IAEA Special Form, ISO 2919, ASTM, ANSI, and 10CFR50 Appendix B standards, and the company maintains in-house certification for radioactive material handling, encapsulation, transport, and complimentary depleted-source disposal.

The company sells exclusively through a B2B consultative direct-sales motion targeting enterprise and government buyers in five primary verticals: nuclear power utilities and reactor operators (including emerging Small Modular Reactor developers), military and defense agencies (U.S. Army, DHS, Customs and Border Protection PINS programs), oil and gas exploration (borehole logging), mining and minerals processing (PGNAA material analysis), and academic and government research. Pricing is quote-based with no public disclosure, contracts are typically multi-year, and products ship to over 200 countries. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the company is not actively raising institutional capital; ownership remains with the founding Janzow family, with Jeniece G. Budner serving as CEO, Treva L. Janzow (co-founder) as President and Radiation Safety Officer, and Dwayne A. Carl as VP of Logistics.

Name

Frontier Technology

Legal name

Frontier Technology Corporation

Website

https://frontier-cf252.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Frontier Technology Corporation, founded in 1984 in Xenia, Ohio, is a privately held manufacturer of californium-252 neutron sources, nuclear start-up rod assemblies, Type-A shipping containers, and proprietary NuWEP shielding products serving nuclear power, defense, oil & gas, mining, and research customers across 200+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nuclear Materials Manufacturing

NAICS

Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing (334517)

SIC

X-Ray Apparatus & Tubes & Related Irradiation Apparatus (3844)

akta.pro primary industry

Sealed Source Manufacturing, Encapsulation & Recycling/Take-Back (Source lifecycle management) (EUAKAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nonproliferation Technology & Detection (radiation portal monitors, RPMs, spectroscopy, forensics) (EUAKAJAG)

Keywords

• Neutron source manufacturing
• Radioactive shipping containers
• Nuclear shielding products
• Californium-252 sources
• Nuclear start-up rods

Headquarters

HQ city

Xenia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Nuclear/Radioactive Product Sales: Direct sales of californium-252 neutron sources, nuclear start-up rod assemblies, Type-A radioactive shipping containers, neutron shielding walls, and antimony-beryllium pellets. Products are custom-manufactured to customer specifications. Disposal services are provided free of charge for depleted sources fabricated in their facility.
2. Custom Turnkey Nuclear Solutions: Complete project services including source encapsulation, specialized capsule housings, holders and attachments, custom transport shielding, documentation, and logistics support for nuclear applications.
3. Container Rental: Type-A shipping containers available for rental in addition to purchase, providing flexible options for customers who transport radioactive materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Frontier Technology Corporation manufactures sealed Californium-252 (Cf-252) neutron sources, complete nuclear start-up rod assemblies, USDOT Type-A radioactive shipping containers, antimony-beryllium pellets, and proprietary NuWEP® neutron shielding walls. Products are custom-fabricated to customer specifications and supplied to nuclear utilities, U.S. military/defense agencies, oil & gas operators, mining and cement processors, and research institutions under NRC, IAEA, ISO 2919, ASTM, and ANSI regulatory compliance.

Product overview

Frontier Technology Corporation is a manufacturer of radioactive neutron source products and nuclear solutions. The core product portfolio centers on Californium-252 (Cf-252) neutron sources, which are available as single-encapsulated Model 10 series or double-encapsulated Model 100 series. These sources integrate into complete Nuclear Start-Up Rod Assemblies for reactor ignition and are paired with Antimony-Beryllium pellets as secondary neutron sources. The company also manufactures Type-A certified radioactive shipping containers in multiple sizes for safe transport, and provides custom neutron shielding walls using proprietary NuWEP water-extended polyester resin. Additional offerings include PINS (Portable Isotopic Neutron Spectroscopy) sources for military defense applications and a free depleted source return program for responsible disposal. The portfolio is unified around Cf-252 neutron technology serving the nuclear, oil & gas, military/defense, and research industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NuWEP: Proprietary water-extended polyethylene (WEP) resin shielding formula developed by Frontier for neutron radiation attenuation.

Products and services

• Californium-252 (Cf-252) Neutron Sources Sealed radioactive neutron sources that spontaneously emit neutrons, offered in single-encapsulated Model 10 and double-encapsulated Model 100 configurations. Used by nuclear utilities for reactor start-up, by oil & gas operators for well logging, and by defense and research customers for material analysis.
• Nuclear Start-Up Rod Assemblies (NSA) Complete nuclear start-up rod assemblies combining Cf-252 neutron sources, antimony-beryllium pellets, non-destructive testing components, and all assembly parts. Custom-manufactured to customer specifications to initiate nuclear chain reactions in reactor startup and restart, including for small modular reactors.
• Type-A Neutron Shipping Containers USDOT Type-A Specification 7A certified radioactive shipping containers for safe domestic and international transport of neutron-emitting materials. Available as standard models (50240, 50220, 50200) or custom sizes, and offered for purchase or rental.
• Antimony-Beryllium (Sb-Be) Pellets Cold-pressed secondary neutron source pellets used in nuclear start-up rod assemblies and fuel scanners. Manufactured to user-supplied specifications for diameter, length, and width.
• Custom Neutron Shielding Walls Custom-designed neutron shielding walls with stainless steel outer shells filled with proprietary NuWEP water-extended polyester resin for superior neutron radiation protection. Configurable in dimensions up to 6 feet wide, 8 feet high, and 12 inches thick.
• NuWEP® Shielding Material Proprietary water-extended polyethylene (WEP) resin shielding formula that combines polyethylene beads with water to create a hydrogen-rich material for moderating and absorbing neutron radiation. Fire-resistant and durable up to 500°F (260°C).
• Neutron Shielding Solutions Custom neutron radiation shielding products using hydrogen-rich NuWEP material to thermalize and capture fast neutrons, protecting personnel and equipment from harmful neutron radiation exposure in nuclear, medical, and industrial settings.
• Radiation Shielding Solutions Comprehensive radiation shielding solutions combining absorption, attenuation, and scattering principles to protect against neutron, alpha, beta, and gamma radiation in nuclear, medical, and industrial applications.
• Portable Isotopic Neutron Spectroscopy (PINS) Sources Cf-252 neutron sources specifically designed for PINS systems used by military and homeland security customers to non-destructively identify hazardous materials, explosives, and chemical warfare agents through gamma-ray signature analysis.
• Depleted Source Return Program Free disposal service for depleted Cf-252 neutron sources fabricated at Frontier's facility. Customers pay only for return shipping; disposal services are complimentary and designed to reinforce customer lock-in.
• Custom Turnkey Nuclear Projects End-to-end turnkey nuclear project services including neutron source encapsulation, specialized capsule housings, holders and attachments, custom shielding for transportation, full documentation, and logistics support for nuclear applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• PINS technology has led to successful detection of over 13,000 chemical agent identification sets (CAIS) and destruction of 73,174 items of chemical warfare since 1992
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• WestinghousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrontier Technology Corporation has worked with Westinghouse for decades to provide californium-252 neutron sources, nuclear start-up rods, and related services. A case study documents successful collaboration on a fuel loading project at a Westinghouse Korea-based nuclear plant, meeting international standards and urgent timelines.
• FramatomecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership to provide nuclear start-up rod assemblies and Cf-252 neutron sources for Framatome nuclear reactor applications.
• DOE National LaboratoriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Department of Energy national laboratory facilities to provide nuclear source assemblies and related nuclear solutions.
• U.S. Army / Department of DefensecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner20+ years of providing Cf-252 neutron sources and support for PINS (Portable Isotopic Neutron Spectroscopy) systems. Products developed under CMADOE, INL, and NSCMP regulatory standards. Supports military operations including deployment to Iraq, Australia, and Japan.
• Department of Homeland SecuritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide Cf-252 PINS sources for border protection, customs operations, and National Guard missions to detect hazardous materials and weapons.
• Idaho National Laboratory (INL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContracted by INL to assist in the development of PINS technology. Dr. Gus Caffrey developed the PINS system at INL in 1992, which won the R&D 100 Award. Frontier provides Cf-252 sources for PINS systems used at over 100 U.S. sites and 40 overseas sites.
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)supportingOthersORNL operates the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) which produces approximately 25mg of Cf-252 isotope per year - the primary source of global Cf-252 supply that Frontier uses in manufacturing.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AMETEK (ORTEC): AMETEK's ORTEC division manufactures radiation detection instruments and HPGe detectors for nuclear measurement and safeguards. It is comparable in the radiation detection ecosystem serving nuclear, defense, and research customers similar to Frontier's PINS user base.
• LANDAUER (Fortive): LANDAUER provides radiation dosimetry, detection, and monitoring solutions for nuclear, medical, and defense markets. It is comparable as a radiation safety vendor to similar institutional customers, though its focus is dosimetry rather than sealed sources.
• Mirion Technologies: Mirion is a large radiation detection, measurement, and shielding company serving nuclear, defense, and medical markets. It competes with Frontier in neutron shielding and radiation protection products and shares similar nuclear and defense customers, though it does not manufacture Cf-252 sources.
• BWX Technologies: BWXT manufactures nuclear components, fuel, and naval reactor cores, with adjacent capabilities in radioisotope production. It serves overlapping defense and nuclear utility customers and has isotope production capabilities relevant to the broader Cf-252 supply chain.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (Radiation Detection): Thermo Fisher's radiation detection and nuclear measurement business serves safeguards, security, and nuclear industry customers comparable to Frontier's PINS and PGNAA end markets. It is a broad incumbent with overlapping but not directly competitive offerings in neutron detection instrumentation.
• Eckert & Ziegler: Eckert & Ziegler is a publicly listed isotope and radiation technology company manufacturing sealed radioactive sources and radiopharmaceutical components. It overlaps with Frontier in industrial sealed sources and radiation handling expertise, but at much greater scale and breadth.

Direct peers

• Hopewell Designs: Hopewell Designs manufactures radiation shielding products, nuclear storage containers, and transport casks for radioactive materials. It is a direct peer in custom neutron shielding and Type-A/B(U) container fabrication for nuclear and research customers.
• QSA Global (Sagamore Industries): QSA Global is one of the few Western manufacturers of sealed radioactive sources, including Cf-252 neutron sources for industrial, oil & gas, and nuclear applications. It is the most direct competitive peer to Frontier in encapsulated neutron source production.

Emerging players

• Nucsafe: Nucsafe produces neutron-based detection systems for homeland security and nonproliferation applications, overlapping with Frontier's PINS work. It is a smaller, emerging player in the same neutron spectroscopy niche.
• NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes: NorthStar produces medical and industrial radioisotopes using novel accelerator and reactor-based production methods, addressing similar isotope supply chain constraints as Frontier's Cf-252 dependency. It is comparable as a domestic isotope production platform serving regulated end markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/californium252
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/frontier-technology-corporation
• Xx.com/frontier_cf252

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Frontier Technology