What Was Kodak Doing With Nuclear Uranium Research Beneath Its Rochester Laboratory?

Kodak is making news on two very different fronts, highlighting both its continued importance in commercial printing and its remarkable scientific history. Golden Business Forms Chooses Kodak for Increased Productivity: Golden Business Forms, a Missouri-based commercial printer specializing in ATM rolls, receipts and business forms, has invested in Kodak’s TRENDSETTER Q400 platesetter and SONORA Process Free Plates, doubling its previous platemaking throughput to 30 plates per hour while eliminating chemical processing, reducing maintenance and improving production efficiency. The investment reinforces Kodak’s role in helping commercial printers modernize operations, reduce costs and pursue more sustainable printing solutions. Meanwhile, a fascinating report revisits Kodak’s little-known nuclear research device, which operated beneath its Rochester, New York, laboratory from 1975 until 2006. Known as a Californium Neutron Flux Multiplier, the uranium-containing device was used for scientific applications such as detecting material impurities and examining objects without damaging them. Despite sensational headlines, it was not a self-sustaining nuclear reactor, and its uranium was removed during decommissioning in 2007. Together, these two stories demonstrate the extraordinary breadth of Kodak’s legacy, from modern printing technology and process-free platemaking to advanced materials research that remained largely unknown to the public for decades.
Read more: Golden Business Forms Chooses Kodak | Kodak’s Little-Known Nuclear Research Device