Exports for Canadian businesses

Canadian manufacturing exports to neutron sources are more than double Canada's investment in these facilities. Partnering with foreign neutron sources will open further opportunities for Canadian businesses.

Built-in-Canada large-scale vacuum vessel holds arrays of neutron detectors at the Spallation Neutron Source (USA)

International neutron facilities needed by Canadians require advanced equipment and services, which Canadian businesses can provide. Canadian firms have supplied around $30M in goods and services to the neutron sources at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, primarily for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), the world’s top accelerator-based neutron source. This is double Canada’s $15M investment in 2002 through a CFI International Access Fund grant “Canadian Participation at the Spallation Neutron Source.” Examples of Canadian firms supplying major components for neutron beamlines at SNS include:

  • SKF’s manufacturing plant in Calgary, Alberta leverages advanced technology to ensure large rotating industrial components perform reliably at high speeds, suitable for demanding applications in major scientific facilities. Over the past 20 years, SKF has provided SNS with high-speed rotating neutron choppers, essential for all its neutron beamlines.
  • Precision Metal Works Limited (Mactaquac, New Brunswick) successfully tackled the engineering challenge of fabricating a custom-built vacuum vessel that measures over 5 meters in diameter and spans several meters in height, designed to accommodate the sample and an array of neutron detectors for one of SNS’ beamlines.

The partnerships proposed by the Canadian Neutron Long-Range Plan 2025 to 2035 will open further opportunities for Canadian exports to provide such components, not only for the SNS but also for other spallation sources, including the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source in the UK. They will also open opportunities to supply reactor-based neutron sources. Canada boasts an outstanding network of nuclear suppliers with specialized knowledge in areas like heavy water. For instance, the Institut Laue-Langevin in France represents a market worth up to 10 million euros annually for nuclear services from suppliers outside France.


“The Canadian research community has an excellent record of applying neutrons for societal impact. A partnership between Canada and our international research facility would produce valuable collaborations, not only between European and Canadian engineers and scientists, but also with Canadian companies with experience in supplying nuclear facilities.”
– Dr. Ken Andersen, Director of the Institut Laue-Langevin in France—the world’s leading neutron source.

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