CEL Critical Power opens $40m US manufacturing facility
Author: Joe Peck
CEL Critical Power, an Ireland-based manufacturer of switchgear and power equipment for the global data centre industry, has opened its first large-scale manufacturing facility in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA.
The new 400,000-square-foot (37,161-square-metre) plant, operational since June, represents a $40 million (£30.3 million) investment and a major step in CEL Critical Power’s international expansion.
The facility increases the company’s manufacturing footprint in the United States – the world’s largest and fastest-growing market for AI and cloud infrastructure – while strengthening its ability to serve key data centre clients.
Strengthening US presence and creating skilled jobs
The Virginia expansion is intended to generate more than 250 skilled roles within the next year, rising to 500 by 2030 across engineering, manufacturing, quality assurance, logistics, and site services.
The facility forms part of CEL Critical Power’s strategy to reach $500 million (£379.5 million) in annual revenue by 2030, supported by its existing operations in Ireland. Together, its global production capacity now exceeds 500,000 square feet (46,451 square metres).
A key component of the project is CEL Critical Power’s collaboration with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and its registration with the US Department of Defense ‘SkillBridge’ programme.
Through partnerships with Naval Station Norfolk and regional alliances, the initiative offers active-duty service members and military veterans opportunities to transition into civilian technical careers.
Manufacturing data centre power
CEL Critical Power designs and manufactures power distribution units (PDUs), remote power panels (RPPs), and switchgear systems for data centre environments.
The company says its engineering approach emphasises reliability, efficiency, and short production cycles, developed through close collaboration with customers from concept through to deployment.
Niall McFadden, Group CEO of CEL Critical Power, comments, “The opening of our first US manufacturing facility marks an important step in CEL Critical Power’s growth strategy.
“We have listened closely to our customers and recognise their need for trusted partners who can scale alongside them in the United States. This $40 million investment reflects our long-term commitment to supporting those customers in a rapidly expanding market.
“Thanks to the support of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and our collaboration with the Department of Defense SkillBridge programme and Naval Station Norfolk, we plan to create up to 500 skilled jobs in Virginia by 2030.”
Alan McCartney, Chief Sales Officer at CEL Critical Power, adds, “As a manufacturer of custom power systems for the global data centre industry, we are expanding our capacity to meet growing demand from customers investing in AI and cloud infrastructure.
“Our design-for-manufacture approach allows us to address specific technical and scheduling requirements and to deliver custom-built systems at scale. Our products are designed to support the next generation of AI workloads and the emerging Neo-Cloud sector.”
Graham Carr, Vice President of Sales, North America, CEL Critical Power, says, “CEL Critical Power is proud to invest in Virginia, working with VEDP, the DoD SkillBridge programme, and Naval Station Norfolk to create meaningful career pathways for veterans while supporting the state’s growing technology sector.
“Virginia offers a strong supply chain, excellent infrastructure, and a deep pool of technical talent.”
