Climate solutions specialists, LFB Group’s Lennox-branded Data Centre Solutions division, has expanded its capabilities with a multi-million euro investment into its advanced testing and manufacturing facilities in Lyon.
The investment into its two complementary Lyon-based sites, located in Genas and Mions, comes as the division prepares to mark almost 12-months of operation.
News of the expansion follows the continued growth of the data centre market, thanks to an ever-increasing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI), with more than 100 new facilities earmarked for the UK alone and projected investment across the continent set to top €94billion, both by as early as 2030.
The expanded sites, both already in operation, will see the business not only expand its European footprint for data centres, but also meet the significant demand for cooling solutions that will enable operators across the EMEA market to effectively cool and manage their data centres as rack densities rise.
Originally built in 1968 and housing over 300 specialists, its Genas facility, spanning 18,000sqm, currently manufactures evaporators, condensers and racks, alongside its recently-launched ApX Series of products, which includes the Computer Room Air Handler (CRAH) and Fan Wall Units (FWU).
Now, as a result of its investment, the expanded factory will be equipped with automated helium leak testing and induction brazing capabilities to maintain quality assurance. It will also feature a new punching machine for enhanced sheet metal fabrication efficiency and wheel lock safety enhancements.
Into 2026, its parking lot will also see over 1,000 solar panels installed, as part of its parent company, LFB Group’s wider sustainability goals and in line with the United Nation’s Global Compact initiative.
Meanwhile, its Mions laboratory will host the division’s research and development (R&D) activities, dedicated to advancing its data centre products.
The laboratory is Eurovent-accredited for rooftops, chillers and heat pumps. Located just a few kilometers from Genas, it houses full ambient and climatic test chambers with humidity control, enabling performance validation under a wide range of real-world conditions.
Together, the two sites reinforce Lennox-branded DCS’ position as one of the few European manufacturers with a fully integrated, multi-site production network dedicated to data centre cooling systems.
Commenting on the investment, Matt Evans, CEO of LFB Group’s Data Centre Solutions division, said:
“These two advancements represent a pivotal investment in both innovation and capacity here at the LFB Group’s Data Centre Solutions division – exactly what this evolving data centre market demands today. With significant growth in rack densities and AI-driven workloads only increasing, our enhanced offering in both R&D and manufacturing in Lyon mean we can design and co-engineer, validate and deliver next-generation cooling systems faster and more effectively than ever before.
“After launching this standalone data centre division just over a year ago now, and rolling out our first two products earlier this year, things have been moving at full pace. The Lyon investment is another step in that journey; it’s us dialling up our capacity and technical capabilities to be able to meet that soaring demand now and in the future. Our evolution doesn’t just stop at Lyon, though. We’ve got more announcements to come, so stay tuned.”
Backed by over sixty years of mechanical engineering prowess, the LFB Group’s Data Centre Solutions division is part of the wider LFB Group business, which includes recently-rebranded, Redge, formerly Lennox HVAC, and commercial and industrial refrigeration experts, Friga-Bohn, both of which share the sites across Lyon, as well as operations in Longvic, France and in Burgos, Spain.
R&D executive director at LFB Group, Laurent Segneri, added:
“We understand the challenges operators are facing in today’s demanding data centre market whether higher rack densities, concentrated AI workloads or the need for precise environmental control. With our advanced R&D and manufacturing sites in Lyon, we can continue to work closely with customers to co-engineer systems to their exacting specifications, testing and refining designs in real-time, so they can meet those pressures.
“It’s an exciting time to be working here, particularly with so much change afoot in the industry. No-one can predict what’s around the corner, however having access to technology that allows us to develop at pace, stress-test and fine-tune products to real-world environments, across the business, means we can deliver solutions that help operators meet evolving performance and capacity demands with confidence.”
Lennox DCS’ expansion not only strengthens the firm’s R&D and manufacturing capabilities, but also creates new opportunities for future talent both in France, Germany and the Netherlands, with its team expected to grow to around 40 positions by 2027, with roles in project management, operations, controls, commissioning and sales support available soon.
For more information on LFB Group/Lennox-branded Data Centre Solutions and its products, visit https://lennox.lennoxemea.com/dcs/
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