Nidec Corporation is expanding its push into the data center market, targeting operators and cloud service providers as demand for thermal management solutions grows alongside artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The Japanese manufacturer reported strong interest in its data center cooling technologies at Data Center World Asia in Singapore, where it exhibited for the first time, securing potential customer leads and opening discussions with prospective strategic partners.
Nobuyasu Nozawa, deputy head of AI & IT Division SPMS at Nidec Corporation, said the exhibition had generated significant inquiries from data center operators and cloud service providers, as well as opportunities to collaborate with manufacturers of complementary cooling equipment.
The company is positioning its thermal management expertise as a key differentiator as it seeks to establish itself as a significant supplier to the data center industry.
Pursuing new customers
Data Center World Asia represented Nidec's second appearance at a Data Center World exhibition, following its earlier appearance at Data Centrer World in Washington, DC.
While the Singapore exhibition attracted international interest, Nozawa said the most significant outcome was the quality of commercial discussions held with potential customers and partners.
The company received inquiries from data center operators and cloud service providers, including organisations interested in its in-row coolant distribution unit (CDU) technology from all around Asia including its home country, Japan.
CDUs are used in liquid cooling systems to manage the circulation and distribution of coolant, helping remove heat from computing equipment. As AI workloads increase the thermal demands placed on servers, liquid cooling is becoming an increasingly important component of data center infrastructure.
Nozawa said several prospective customers had visited Nidec's booth to discuss specific business opportunities.
"We received a lot of visitors at Data Center World," Nozawa said.
"A lot of attention was paid to our latest products and solutions. It was a really good show for Nidec."
For Nidec, the event provided an opportunity to engage with the broader ecosystem surrounding AI infrastructure, rather than limiting its outreach to traditional equipment customers.
Cooling partnerships offer route to market
Beyond direct customer inquiries, Nidec identified potential partnerships with manufacturers of other cooling equipment as an important outcome of its exhibition in Singapore.
Nozawa said several chiller manufacturers approached the company throughout the event to discuss combining their products with Nidec's in-row CDUs.
The proposed arrangements would allow the companies to offer complementary cooling technologies to data center customers as part of a more integrated solution.
Chillers and CDUs perform different functions within cooling infrastructure. Chillers help remove heat from a facility's cooling system, while CDUs manage coolant distribution closer to the IT equipment.
Combining the technologies can help suppliers address different parts of a data center's thermal management requirements.
The discussions extended beyond Southeast Asia, with companies travelling from Japan and India to meet Nidec representatives in Singapore.
The company has since begun follow-up conversations with prospective partners, including chiller manufacturers in Japan.
Nozawa described the discussions as a significant outcome of the exhibition, pointing to tangible opportunities for collaboration, as the company looks to expand its partner base in Japan, as well as other markets.
Instead of relying exclusively on direct sales, the company is looking to become part of a wider network of manufacturers delivering integrated cooling solutions.
Thermal expertise underpins expansion
Nidec is seeking to use its established thermal management capabilities to build credibility with data center customers.
Nozawa said the company's history in cooling technologies, spanning air cooling and more recent work in liquid cooling, distinguished it from competitors entering the market.
Nidec's experience across different generations of thermal solutions provides the foundation for its ambitions in data center infrastructure.
The company's strategy reflects the growing importance of heat management as data centers accommodate increasingly demanding computing workloads.
AI infrastructure can place substantial thermal loads on servers, increasing the need for efficient cooling systems capable of maintaining operating conditions while supporting higher computing density.
For equipment manufacturers, this creates opportunities to supply technologies that address cooling requirements at both the server and facility levels.
Nidec is aiming to position itself as a thermal specialist supplier in this market, using its existing engineering and manufacturing capabilities to support the needs of data center operators and their equipment partners.
The interest generated at Data Center World Asia shows that Nidec is beginning to build those connections.
Asian manufacturing base supports customers
Nidec is also highlighting its established presence in Asia as an advantage in pursuing data center opportunities across the region.
Nozawa said the company's Japanese heritage and design operations in Japan and manufacturing operations in Asia allow Nidec to support customers throughout the region.
Having key capabilities and manufacturing resources close to customers can be valuable during the deployment of specialised cooling infrastructure, particularly when projects require inspections.
"From our design center in Japan and the manufacturing location in Thailand, we can support the customers in this area particularly closely. For the initial inspection or installation, or what we call commissioning, or a factory visit by the customer, it's very easy, actually."
For Nidec, the focus is now on converting the interest generated at Data Center World Asia into commercial opportunities and strategic partnerships.
The Singapore exhibition marked an early step in its effort to establish a stronger presence in the data center supply chain, with liquid cooling and collaboration with complementary equipment manufacturers emerging as central elements of its approach.