Solmar Insights
In a move reflecting the surging demand for advanced data center services amid AI growth, 3C and Datalec Precision Installations have merged to form 3C Datalec, a platform expecting more than $400 million in revenue for 2026. The new entity will combine expertise in liquid cooling, engineering, manufacturing, connectivity, and facilities management, and employ around 1,000 staff across projects in 16 countries.
Key figures
$400+ million forecast 2026 revenue
1,000 employees worldwide
Active projects in 16 countries
200 engineers to be hired within 12 months
Transaction details and new capabilities
The combination of 3C, known for its liquid cooling solutions developed under former CoolIT Systems CEO Steve Walton, with Datalec Precision Installations, positions the newly formed 3C Datalec as a provider of end-to-end infrastructure services for high-density and AI-driven environments. Key areas of expertise now span liquid cooling, mechanical and electrical engineering, equipment manufacturing, physical connectivity, and mission-critical facilities management, addressing the end-to-end needs of both new developments and upgrades for hyperscale, colocation, and enterprise customers.
This merger is underpinned by a syndicate of investors including Longbow Capital, S2G Investments, Apogem Capital, and QIC. Strategic expansion plans outline the hiring of 200 additional engineers and the establishment of new operational centers in Warsaw, Calgary, and Austin over the next year, highlighting the global ambition and rapid scaling of 3C Datalec’s operations.
The company’s structure will revolve around three core service lines: Create (design and engineering), Construct (installation, manufacturing, M&E, and connectivity), and Care (commissioning, ongoing maintenance, operations, and facilities support). This integrated approach addresses a key challenge for large-scale digital infrastructure: aligning power, cooling, and operations at increased rack densities where traditional cooling is no longer viable.
Growth drivers in AI and hyperscale sectors
The merger comes as the proliferation of AI workloads exerts significant pressure on data center design, power usage, and thermal management. High-performance computing environments require densely packed racks with advanced cooling and reliable power infrastructure. 3C Datalec’s unified service model aims to help data center operators manage these demands by providing a single partner from the design phase through ongoing operations and maintenance.
Currently, the firm is engaged in projects powering four of the five largest hyperscale operators, as well as 25-plus colocation clients and various neoclouds and enterprise customers. This international reach underscores a shift in buyer needs toward solutions providers that can deliver complex, high-density projects globally, with integrated capabilities spanning both critical equipment manufacturing and site-level operations. Customer profiles and project footprints reveal strong momentum in regions with active AI infrastructure investments.
Liquid cooling, in particular, plays a pivotal role. With demand for 40kW and higher rack densities, traditional air cooling is increasingly insufficient. As per CEO Steve Walton, holistic engineering covering cooling, power, construction, and operations is essential to achieving scale and performance in AI clusters. 3C Datalec aims to address these challenges by leveraging combined expertise from its predecessor firms and expanding geographically to serve hyperscalers and colos facing unprecedented growth.
International expansion and workforce strategy
In support of its growth plans, 3C Datalec is mobilizing new investment to accelerate both hiring and physical footprint expansion. The company intends to onboard 200 engineers within 12 months and will open new facilities in Warsaw, Calgary, and Austin. This geographic diversification aims to place technical and service delivery resources closer to major hyperscaler and enterprise client concentrations, keeping pace with multinational infrastructure rollouts and upgrade cycles.
Talent development is another declared priority, with new apprenticeship and technical training programs designed to build workforce expertise in liquid cooling and data center critical systems. Effective scaling of skilled labor has become a bottleneck in many data center buildouts, especially in the AI segment, where hardware, electrical, and thermal disciplines all intersect. By investing in training, 3C Datalec hopes to meet client timelines and add value through operational know-how as complexity rises.
The company’s cross-disciplinary training focus also suggests an awareness of tightening labor markets in established hubs and the growing need for specialized knowledge to support emerging locations in Poland, Canada, and the United States. This reflects broader sectoral trends where speed to market, technical integration, and operational reliability are driving competitive differentiation for platform builders and service partners alike.
Implications for buyers and developers
For institutional buyers, hyperscalers, and infrastructure developers, the 3C Datalec merger signals an ongoing consolidation among suppliers positioned to deliver comprehensive infrastructure for AI and high-density compute. The integration of design, construction, and ongoing operations under one platform may streamline project delivery, reduce coordination costs, and enable more rapid responses to evolving technology and load profiles.
Additionally, with $400 million-plus in projected 2026 revenue and rapid hiring, 3C Datalec appears set to compete aggressively for both greenfield and brownfield projects across North America and key global markets. The new Warsaw, Calgary, and Austin facilities may provide on-the-ground support to hyperscalers and large-scale colocations, benefiting those seeking reduced deployment risk and schedules compressed by surging AI infrastructure demand.
Ultimately, as data center rack densities and service demands rise, buyers may increasingly seek out full-spectrum providers with both equipment and operational depth. The 3C Datalec combination will likely encourage further consolidation, partnerships, and vertical integration as data center infrastructure becomes more complex and capital-intensive.
What this means for buyers
This development affects data center capacity and critical equipment in North America and EMEA. The merger means integrated liquid cooling, engineering, and operations are now available from a single platform with $400 million in projected 2026 revenue. Buyers planning AI-powered or high-density builds may find project timelines and complexity shortened by engaging 3C Datalec’s end-to-end services.
Reporting via the original publisher
