Infrastructure

Mission Critical Group acquires DVM Power + Control

Mission Critical Group (MCG), a provider of innovative products specialising in design, manufacturing, delivery and service of electrical system solutions, has announced that it has acquired DVM Manufacturing (DVM Power + Control), a manufacturer of low- and medium-voltage electrical distribution equipment. The acquisition significantly expands MCG’s manufacturing footprint and service capabilities in electrical systems for data centres, industrial facilities and other mission critical applications. With 350,000 square feet of production space in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Connecticut, DVM expands MCG’s footprint to over one million square feet of manufacturing capacity. The acquisition also strengthens MCG’s field services, drives innovation, and enhances technical expertise by adding DVM’s skilled workforce, providing customers with more solutions and stronger support. DVM designs and produces low- and medium-voltage electrical distribution equipment, including switchboards, switchgear, relay panels, power distribution units (PDUs), bypasses, power/cooling module 'skid' manufacturing and control systems. Its Naugatuck, Connecticut facility specialises in retrofits, breaker rebuilds and switchgear modernisation, further bolstering MCG’s services and power offerings. “DVM’s expertise advances MCG’s manufacturing and aftermarket services, driving growth and customer satisfaction for our innovative, high-quality solutions,” says Jeff Drees, CEO of Mission Critical Group. “With DVM’s added capacity and technical strengths, we are also expanding our geographic reach, boosting product development and optimising power service offerings to better support data centres and other mission critical environments.” Robert Ricci, CEO of DVM Power + Control, adds, “This partnership is a natural fit, built on a shared commitment to innovation, excellence and customer value. Having worked with MCG’s leadership for 30 years, I can attest to their deep industry knowledge and strategic expertise. This collaboration expands our resources, enhances engineering capabilities and improves career growth, ensuring a stronger future for our team.” DVM will operate as a Mission Critical Group Company alongside JTS and Point Eight Power, continuing to elevate MCG’s leadership in electrical system solutions. As part of the transition, Ricci will continue to lead DVM as its President and oversee MCG’s low- and medium-voltage electrical equipment manufacturing. With five acquisitions in two years, MCG says that this latest addition marks another milestone in its rapid growth, while reinforcing its commitment to innovation and excellence in mission critical solutions. For more from Mission Critical Group, click here.

iGenius launches large sovereign AI data centre

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, has announced a collaboration with NVIDIA and renowned AI pioneer, iGenius, to deploy Colosseum, one of the world’s largest NVIDIA DGX AI supercomputers with NVIDIA Grace Blackwell Superchips. Set to deploy in 2025 in Italy, Colosseum will redefine the digital landscape through a first-of-its-kind sovereign AI data centre for regulated workloads. Designed to address the demands of highly regulated industries such as finance, healthcare and public administration, Colosseum will embody a fusion of transformative computational power, energy efficiency and data sovereignty, while balancing stringent data security requirements. Colosseum, a NVIDIA DGXPOD, is the latest advancement in a long-standing collaboration between Vertiv and NVIDIA. It is strategically positioned in southern Italy to address regional government requirements, marking a significant milestone in Europe’s AI landscape. “Harnessing the power of NVIDIA's cutting-edge accelerated computing and Vertiv's innovative infrastructure expertise, Colosseum stands as a testament to the transformative potential of sovereign AI,” says Uljan Sharka, CEO of iGenius. “We’re demonstrating how modular systems and software-specific infrastructure enable a new era of mission-critical AI.” Colosseum combines Vertiv's infrastructure management expertise, NVIDIA accelerated computing, and the NVIDIA Omniverse Blueprint for AI factory design and operations. The deployment will leverage Vertiv’s 360AI reference architecture infrastructure platform for data centre power and cooling that is designed for the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72, which was co-developed with NVIDIA and released in late 2024. This modular and scalable system positions iGenius to deploy one of the fastest hyperscale AI supercomputers, and one of the largest to support sovereign AI.Vertiv has also extended its reference design library on its AI Hub with the co-developed data centre power and cooling design for NVIDIA GB300 NVL72. By staying one GPU generation ahead, Vertiv enables customers to plan infrastructure before silicon lands, with deployment-ready designs that anticipate increased rack power densities and repeatable templates for AI factories at scale. “The unit of compute is no longer the chip - it’s the system, the AI Factory,” comments Karsten Winther, President of Vertiv, EMEA. “Through our collaboration with NVIDIA and visionary AI player iGenius, we are proving the efficiency and system-level maturity of delivering the data centre as a unit of compute, unlocking rapid adoption of AI-native power and cooling infrastructure as a catalyst for AI at scale.” “AI is reshaping the data centre landscape, demanding new levels of scale, efficiency and adaptability for global AI factories,” adds Charlie Boyle, Vice President of DGX platforms at NVIDIA. “With physically-based digital twins enabled by NVIDIA Omniverse technologies and Vertiv’s modular design for the iGenius DGX SuperPOD data centre, Colosseum sets a new standard for building supercomputers for the era of AI.” Colosseum was co-designed as a physically accurate digital twin developed with NVIDIA Omniverse technologies, enabling real-time collaboration between Vertiv, iGenius and NVIDIA, to accelerate system-level decisions and compress the design-to-deploy cycle. The Omniverse Blueprint enables real-time simulations, allowing engineers to test and refine designs instantly, rather than waiting for lengthy simulation processes, reducing simulation times from months to hours. Vertiv manufacturing and factory integration processes reduce deployment time by up to 50% compared to traditional data centre builds. This collaborative 3D design process validated the entire infrastructure stack, enabling predictive modelling of thermal load, electrical flow, and site layout - for 132kW liquid-cooled racks to modular power systems - before a single module was built. Vertiv’s AI-ready prefabricated modular data centre solution is designed, manufactured, delivered, installed and commissioned by Vertiv. It includes power, cooling, management, monitoring, service and maintenance offerings, with power and cooling capacity supporting up to 132kW/rack initially, with an ability to scale up as required for future designs. The building shell integrates prefabricated white space inside while deploying full modular grey space outside. This approach offers exceptional scalability and energy efficiency, transforming the way data centres are built and deployed. Colosseum will leverage NVIDIA Mission Control for data centre operations and orchestration and Vertiv Unify to simplify and synchronise building management for AI factories. Vertiv Unify provides: • Real-time orchestration across power, cooling, and compute• Digital twin synchronisation for closed-loop optimisation• AI-ready capabilities that support autonomous decision-making Through its integration of NVIDIA Omniverse technologies, Vertiv Unify enables real-time updates between physical systems and digital models - allowing predictive maintenance, what-if simulations, and scenario testing before operational risk occurs. Colosseum is described as "more than a data centre", and is the template for scalable, repeatable, sovereign AI factories. By combining cloud-scale density, local data control, and modular deployment, it signals the next phase of AI: where inference must be secure, fast, compliant, and distributed. iGenius is building a blueprint with Colosseum designed to be repeated globally, with Vertiv and NVIDIA aligned on future platform support, including DGX GB300 systems and beyond. For more from Vertiv, click here.

Vertiv announces launch of prefabricated infrastructure portfolio

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced the launch of Vertiv SmartRun. Vertiv SmartRun is a modular prefabricated overhead infrastructure system designed to integrate high-density power distribution busbar, liquid cooling piping network, hot-aisle containment, and network infrastructure into a single, scalable solution, supporting an accelerated data centre fit-out. This all-in-one solution is designed to reduce complexity and accelerate deployment times of cloud and AI training applications for greenfield and retrofit colocation and hyperscale data centres. Deploying Vertiv SmartRun delivers significant advantages in scalability and efficiency, Vertiv states, providing end-to-end speed and adaptable configurations to meet various design requirements. With prefabricated assembly, plug-and-play design, and a simplified one-lift installation process, Vertiv SmartRun can deploy up to 85% faster on-site than traditional stick-build methods, enabling data centre installations greater than 1MW per day with just a single crew. The pre-designed system reduces labour needs for engineering review and installation of busway, piping, network cabling, and hot-aisle containment systems, offering a streamlined approach to integrating overhead infrastructure. The system also addresses the whitespace challenges of incorporating new heat removal technologies into AI data centres, by integrating a secondary fluid network into the Vertiv SmartRun design. Prefabricated stainless steel piping systems mitigate complexity of design, fabrication, and start-up, providing a single source for end-to-end data centre liquid cooling support. “As digital infrastructure demands evolve, organisations require solutions that accelerate growth without adding complexity,” says Viktor Petik, Senior Vice President, Infrastructure Solutions at Vertiv. “Vertiv SmartRun is a strategic investment in high-density, prefabricated infrastructure that brings operational agility and enables seamless expansion to support the future of high-density computing.” Vertiv SmartRun is backed by Vertiv Liquid Cooling Services and Vertiv Services, a global network of trained experts available to provide comprehensive support for the installation, maintenance, and optimisation of liquid cooled infrastructure, supporting efficient thermal management and long-term reliability in high-density environments. For more from Vertiv, click here.

Schneider unveils enhanced GenieEvo with 31.5kA fault rating

Schneider Electric has announced the launch of GenieEvo 31.5kA in the UK and Ireland.  GenieEvo is an air insulated medium voltage switchgear offering, with resilience, safety and reliability at its core.  Its higher fault current protection of 31.5kA, up from 25kA in previous iterations, means it reduces the risk of power outages by minimisig the dangers of equipment damage in the event of power overloads or short circuits  GenieEvo is digital in design and comes with Schneider Electric’s EcoCare membership services plan. It incorporates smart Internet of Things (IoT) sensors which transmit data, in real-time, to experts at Schneider Electric’s Connected Services Hub for monitoring and analysis. This enables condition-based monitoring and predictive maintenance which can cut the number of unplanned outages and ensure a more efficient approach to maintaining equipment.  It is particularly suited to those with heavy-duty electrical distribution needs such as Distribution Network Operators (DNOs), data centres and medium to large sites with significant energy requirements. These include industries such as oil and gas, mining and manufacturing, as well as large buildings including airports and hospitals.  GenieEvo key features include:  · A pure air design vacuum switchgear with a high fault current rating of 31.5kA for enhanced resilience, safety and reliability.   · Newly designed C-type bushings which are easy to install offering improved insulation, durability and thermal management.  · Innovative 2000A Busbar CTs ensuring high accuracy in metering and monitoring.  · A-FL switchgear front and side protection for users for Internal Arc Compliance (IAC).  · IoT sensors monitoring thermal, environmental and partial discharge data, 24/7, enabling condition-based and predictive maintenance.  · A compact design which can reduce space requirements by up to 40%. It comes with pre-engineered panels to meet individual requirements and can scale to meet future needs.  “To enable the energy transition, we need to integrate more energy sources to the distribution network, and this creates challenges, particularly for those with significant electricity demands,” says David Hall, Schneider Electric’s Vice President of Power Systems UK&I. “Organisations can’t afford power outages and must take control when it comes to resilience, safety and reliability. They should look at their switchgear as a priority. GenieEvo has been developed in response to market demands, allowing them to do just this.” Schneider Electric will manufacture the GenieEvo at its Leeds site. 

New digital gateway for Southern Europe

Schneider Electric and Digital Realty are delivering a new digital gateway for Southern Europe - the new HER1 Data Center in Heraklion, Crete. Launched earlier this week as the first carrier-neutral facility on the island, HER1 plays a critical role in reducing Southern Europe’s digital connectivity and infrastructure gap by enabling the interconnection of international, regional and local subsea cables, empowering cloud, telco and content delivery networks (CDNs) to better serve the surrounding regions. Working in tandem with fast-growing markets including Athens, Barcelona, Marseille, Rome and Tel Aviv, HER1 forms a central part of Digital Realty’s Mediterranean data centre platform and takes a major step towards establishing Greece as a strategic connectivity hub for Southern and Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Following a successful prefabricated data centre deployment at its Marseille 2 (MRS2) facility, Digital Realty leveraged a turnkey, Tier III solution from Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Modular Data Center portfolio to overcome a host of challenges at HER1. They included requirements for accelerated speed-to-market with a target to become operational within 12 months, increased levels of energy efficiency, and off-site production, testing and delivery due to HER1’s remote location in Crete. To achieve this, Schneider Electric provided a purpose-built solution including two, fully integrated, prefabricated power modules containing MV, transformers, LV, UPS equipment and air-cooling systems. Additionally, it deployed two, large-scale, all-in-one Data Halls, complete with power, cooling and IT, utilising Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure monitoring solution for buildings management and electrical power management systems (EPMS). Further, Schneider Electric provided the compete spectrum of data centre design, build and consultancy services, including all mechanical, electrical (M&E) and software equipment, production, assembly, commissioning and security services. This enabled Digital Realty’s HER1 facility to meet its demanding deployment timeframes, while minimising the risk of failures during its on-site installation.   "Digital Realty’s substantial investment in our new Heraklion data centre highlights our dedication to establishing the Mediterranean as a global connectivity hub, connecting continents and enabling digital transformation,” says Fabrice Coquio, SVP Digital Realty in France. “Thanks to our strategic partnership with Schneider Electric, we are accelerating the time to market of this critical project to quickly meet the surging digital traffic demands in the region, while enhancing network resilience and diversity for enterprises and communities alike." Due to its geographical location and the ongoing investments in submarine networks such as 2Africa, Andromeda, East to Med Corridor (EMC), Medusa and Thetis, many organisations are selecting Crete as a strategic destination for cable termination and data centre deployments - transforming the region into a global interconnection hub that brings multiple continents together. HER1, Digital Realty’s first carrier-neutral data centre in Crete, is located next to the landing point of several subsea cable systems and will offer a highly resilient data centre capacity to the cloud, subsea cable and connectivity communities.

Colt DCS: 117MW data centre expansion in Germany

Colt Data Centre Services (Colt DCS) has announced plans to develop four new data centres in Germany.  The four facilities will consist of Frankfurt 4 & 5 and Berlin 1 & 2. The two Frankfurt data centres will be built on an 18-acre site and provide a combined 63MW, while the Berlin data centres will be constructed on a 9.5-acre site and provide a total 54MW of IT capacity. Colt DCS is targeting first phase RFS (ready for service) at Frankfurt 4 and Berlin 1 by the end of 2028, with renewable power contracts already secured. The new data centres will add 117MW to Colt DCS’ capacity in Germany, bringing its total in-country capacity to 176MW.The acquisitions in Frankfurt and Berlin, reinforce Colt DCS’ commitment to digital infrastructure in Germany, and represents a €2 billion investment in its economy.  The move strengthens Colt DCS’ position in the Frankfurt market, which continues to be one of Europe’s leading data centre hubs. Berlin has emerged as a secondary market, driven by Germany’s digital transformation and increasing demand for cloud and AI services.  The new facilities will be designed to Colt DCS’ Global Reference Design (GRD) which can cater for both traditional cloud and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads, powering racks up to 130kW. To accommodate this, the design flexibly supports cooling by traditional air, direct liquid-to-chip and hybrid approaches.Each new Colt DCS data centre in Germany will be constructed in line with environmental and sustainability policies using several low embodied carbon principles. This includes the installation of low Global Warming Potential (GWP) cooling chillers, reducing water waste for cooling, and building the structure with minimal steel and concrete usage.  Waste heat from all sites will be reused by the local councils for district heating. A fifth of the site areas will be reserved as green space, and the building roofs will feature a mixture of photovoltaic solar panels and planted vegetation. Gert-Uwe Mende, Lord Mayor of Wiesbaden, says, “Wiesbaden is an attractive business location, and artificial intelligence is an absolutely future-oriented topic. I am therefore very pleased that Colt DCS has chosen the Landeshauptstadt (capital of the state of Hessen) as the site for its new data centre.”Niclas Sanfridsson, CEO of Colt DCS, says, "The continued growth in digital services has created strong demand for hyperscale data centres in Germany. Our acquisitions in Frankfurt and Berlin are a testament to our commitment to Europe’s largest economy. We are proud to contribute to the growth of the local community and remain a trusted partner for our customers worldwide. These new sites will not only enhance our capacity to serve the increasing needs of cloud and AI workloads but also reinforce our dedication to sustainability and innovation in the data centre industry."

Riello UPS expands Multi Power2 modular series

Critical power protection specialist, Riello UPS, has announced an extension to its ultra-high efficiency modular range Multi Power2. The uninterruptible power supply manufacturer adds to its existing 500 kW MP2 UPS with a 300 kW version, along with a trio of 600 kW cabinets. The expansion increases the flexibility of the range, which is aimed at small to medium-sized data centres and other similarly mission critical applications. The additional units deliver all the series’ key benefits, including ultra-high efficiency of 98.1% in online double conversion mode, risk-free ‘pay as you grow’ scalability, a robust design that eliminates any single point of failure, and hot-swappable 3U 67 kW power modules that ensure downtime-free maintenance. Multi Power2 incorporates advanced silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors that significantly reduce energy losses and heat generation, delivering data centre operators robust and reliable performance whilst lowering their operating costs, cooling requirements, and carbon emissions. The extended MP2 range now incorporates: • MP2 300 – up to five power modules for a maximum of 300 kW, features bottom cable entry and an integrated manual bypass switch;• MP2 500 – up to eight power modules for a maximum of 500 kW, features top cable entry, an integrated manual bypass switch, and air filters as standard;• MP2 600 – up to nine power modules for a maximum of 600 kW, available with or without switches and a choice of front-to-back or front-to-top ventilation. Up to four UPS can be installed in parallel, meaning the MP2 can protect up to 2,400 kW in a single system. As well as the expanded MP2, the complete Multi Power2 range also incorporates the popular Multi Power2 Scalable (M2S) innovation (which comes in 1,000 kW, 1,250 kW and 1,600 kW versions), and is designed with the needs of modern data centres in mind, as it can handle the rapid load fluctuations typically associated with AI load profiles. By connecting four M2S UPS in parallel, it can protect up to 6,400 kW. Leo Craig, Managing Director of Riello UPS, comments, “With this exciting expansion of the Multi Power range, we are addressing the data centre industry’s growing focus on energy saving practices for a more sustainable future. “By combining market-leading efficiency of 98.1% and flexibility in terms of power ratings and cabinets with a reduced carbon footprint and total cost of ownership, we are delivering data centres proven results without compromising on power continuity or performance.” For more from Riello UPS, click here.

Vertiv unveils scalable power solution, Vertiv PowerDirect Rack 

Vertiv has announced the launch of the Vertiv PowerDirect Rack, a 1U high-density 50V DC power system shelf designed to bring resilience to even the most demanding AI and high-performance computing (HPC) environments. This modular system scales up to 132kW per rack by integrating multiple power shelves, enabling expansion while minimising space requirements. Available globally, Vertiv PowerDirect Rack offers a complete infrastructure power solution, supporting two times the power capacity in the same footprint, compared to alternative solutions.   The Vertiv PowerDirect Rack is designed to help data centres maximise power efficiency and scale with ease. Built for Open Compute Project (OCP) ORv3 High Power Rack (HPR) environments, it delivers high-density power while reducing energy waste and simplifying operations. With flexible AC and HVDC input support, real-time monitoring and modular scalability, the power shelf enables seamless expansion to allow IT teams to meet growing power demands without increasing rack space or complexity, compared to traditional AC uninterruptible power supply (UPS) with separate rectification and power distribution, or lower density DC power shelves. “Today’s data centres face increasing pressure to deliver more power in less space while supporting the rapid growth of AI and HPC applications,” says Kyle Keeper, Senior Vice President of the Power Business Unit at Vertiv. “Vertiv PowerDirect Rack addresses these challenges with a scalable, energy-efficient DC power design that equips operators with the flexibility to adapt to evolving workload demands and build future-ready infrastructure.” Built for performance and adaptability, the Vertiv PowerDirect Rack delivers benefits that simplify power management and improve data centre energy efficiency. Key features include:  · Delivers up to 132kW per rack with N+N redundancy, enabling high-density deployments with a scalable, space-saving power architecture. · Achieves 97.5% peak energy efficiency, minimising power waste, reducing cooling demands and lowering operating costs. · Supports both AC and HVDC input, for seamless integration into diverse power infrastructures for future-ready data centres. · Hot-swappable, modular design for uninterrupted operations and effortless scalability as power needs grow.  · Advanced power management and reliability, with built-in safeguards to maintain continuous performance and prevent disruptions.

Huber+Suhner introduces ribbon innovation for data centres

Huber+Suhner has introduced a new Ribbon End-to-End Solution for the streamlining and optimisation of data centre infrastructure. As the global data centre industry continues to experience significant growth in both traffic and demand, the product - which integrates key components such as LISA, IANOS, OptiRibbon cables, and the Ribbon Splice Box (RSB) - delivers the efficiency and scalability required for modern operations. “The increasing need for high data transmission rates and improved efficiency in data centres has driven us to develop an advanced solution that not only enhances connectivity but also simplifies operations,” says Vanesa Alias, Vice President of Product Management at Huber+Suhner. “With our Ribbon End-to-End Solution, customers not only benefit from reduced installation time and improved cable management, but also a future-proof network architecture.” The Huber+Suhner Ribbon End-to-End Solution offers a comprehensive, high-density fibre optic connectivity system, ensuring seamless data transmission, optimised network performance, and reduced complexity in cabling infrastructure. The solution enables splicing up to 60% faster than current market offerings, significantly improving installation efficiency. Through the extensive expertise in fibre optics demonstrated by Huber+Suhner, the Ribbon End-to-End Solution enables seamless scalability, allowing data centres to effectively adapt to evolving technological requirements. It offers high-performance density cabling that minimises space requirements and enhances airflow within data centres. The streamlined installation process also reduces deployment time and complexity, while a future-ready architecture ensures scalability to meet growing bandwidth demands and consistent performance in mission-critical environments. For more from Huber+Suhner, click here.

Vertiv launches new unified control platform

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced the launch of Vertiv Unify, a unified control platform designed to simplify, standardise, and streamline data centre operations by integrating visibility, management, and reporting of critical power and thermal infrastructure while providing scalability and flexibility. As the only provider of the full suite of power train and thermal chain equipment, Vertiv now enables seamless integration and coordination across systems through Vertiv Unify. As AI-driven workloads and hyperscale data centres expand, operators face growing challenges in maintaining efficiency across power and thermal infrastructure. The Vertiv Unify consolidated management platform provides convenient monitoring, management, and control of critical digital infrastructure for enhanced system performance. This decentralised system is available to approved users from virtually any device, empowering facility and data centre managers with access to actionable insights for improved decision-making. “Data centres require an integrated approach to infrastructure management that reduces complexity and enhances performance,” says Andrew McClintock, Global Offering Manager at Vertiv. “Vertiv Unify accelerates system deployment with plug-and-play functionality, offers unlimited scalability, and provides real-time visibility into power and thermal infrastructure for more informed decision-making.” The system provides plug-and-play configurations, simplified energy usage reporting, and global and site-specific scalability. It also offers an unlimited licensing model for unlimited clients, screens, tags, connections, and devices, allowing access and information to all required stakeholders. Vertiv Unify is backed by Vertiv’s support and lifecycle services, a global organisation trained to provide end-to-end support to protect and optimise critical operations. For more from Vertiv, click here.