Modine announces India expansion

Modine said it plans to open a new facility in Chennai, India, in mid-2025 to meet what it said is an increased demand for mission-critical cooling solutions used in data centers. The facility will manufacture data center cooling equipment under the Airedale by Modine brand, and also cooling modules for stationary power generation equipment.

The expansion follows the recent opening of new factories in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Bradford, UK, in response to data center industry demand.

“This strategic expansion of two Modine businesses in India is an example of how we are driving growth by capturing the mega-trends connected to high-performance computing and AI,” said Neil D. Brinker, President and CEO, Modine, based in Racine, Wis. “By increasing capacity and establishing production facilities in India, we are in a strong position to provide a range of highly engineered enabling technologies to the data center industry.”

Data center investment in India has accelerated in recent years, according to Modine. In addition to having a growing economy that is driving demand for data, the availability of skilled labor and local investment in enhanced connectivity to Africa, Asia, and the Middle East make India an increasingly attractive market. Several data center hyperscale and colocation companies have already invested in India and need technologies to cool everything from the campus power infrastructure to inside the data center hall.

“India is a key part of our growth strategy to meet customer demand in India, Asia and the Middle East,” said Art Laszlo, group vice president, Global Data Centers, Modine. “Airedale by Modine invests heavily in research and development to design technologies that are suitable for all regions and plants. We solve our customers’ most critical data center cooling challenges with tailored solutions from just outside the data center hall to the rack.”

“Our cooling modules enhance the performance and efficiency of the stationary power generation units that serve as primary and back-up power and support load management on a data center campus,” said Matthew Powell, vice president and general manager, Air-Cooled Applications, Modine. “We’re already supplying customers globally and this additional capacity expands our manufacturing footprint so we can fulfill new global orders by this summer.”

Chennai will be Modine’s second facility in India. Modine Thermal Systems India opened in 2007 and designs and manufactures cooling modules for off-highway and commercial vehicles as well as power generation equipment.

The company opened its new site in in Bradford in October 2024, reportedly two months ahead of schedule. The 14.6 acre production facility will be used for manufacturing and testing computer room air handlers and fan wall units and future plans include the construction of a fan wall test center. The new R&D facility will reportedly expand Airedale by Modine’s overall world-class testing capabilities and will see them welcome customers from across the globe for factory acceptance tests.

Modine acquired UK-based Airedale in 2005. The company adopted the “Airedale by Modine” brand in 2021 to highlight its relationship with its parent company and to support its goal of becoming a global giant in data center cooling.

Airedale by Modine currently operates out of Leeds, Bradford and Consett in the U.K.; Guadalajara, Spain; Rockbridge, Va., Grenada, Miss.; Allen, Texas; and Calgary.