3C and Datalec Precision Installations have merged to create 3C Datalec, a global data center infrastructure platform focused on designing, building, and operating critical infrastructure for artificial intelligence and high-density computing environments.
The combined company is backed by new investment from Longbow Capital, S2G Investments, Apogem Capital, and QIC. 3C Datalec plans to use the investment to accelerate international expansion, recruit specialized talent, and broaden its technical capabilities as demand for AI infrastructure continues to grow.
3C Datalec has approximately 1,000 employees and expects to generate more than $400 million in revenue in 2026. The company operates offices and manufacturing facilities across Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and North America and is currently working on projects in 16 countries representing hundreds of megawatts of data center capacity. Its customer base includes four of the five largest hyperscalers, more than 25 colocation providers, neocloud operators, and enterprise customers.
Over the next 12 months, 3C Datalec plans to hire 200 engineers and open new facilities in Warsaw, Poland; Calgary, Alberta; and Austin, Texas. The expansion is intended to help the company address growing demand for infrastructure capable of supporting increasingly power-intensive and thermally complex AI workloads.
The combined business brings together 3C’s liquid cooling expertise with Datalec’s capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, ODM manufacturing, connectivity installation, commissioning, operations, maintenance, and facilities management. The company organizes these capabilities under three areas: Create for design and engineering, Construct for infrastructure deployment, and Care for ongoing operations and maintenance.
3C Datalec also plans to address the shortage of skilled data center engineers by investing in apprenticeships, technical training, and career development through its internal university. Employees will also be able to participate in the company’s Leadership & Employee Equity Program, designed to give team members an ownership stake in the business.
Datalec’s headquarters will remain in London, and its founding leadership team will continue in executive roles within the combined organization. Financial terms of the merger were not disclosed.
KEY QUOTES:
“Rack densities have outgrown air, and liquid cooling is no longer optional. At CoolIT, we spent years preparing for this moment and became a global leader in liquid cooling. The hard part now is making cooling, power, construction and operations work as one system, while running at scale. We’re combining our liquid cooling expertise with Datalec’s engineering, manufacturing and FM capabilities, so customers have one partner from design to operation.”
Steve Walton, CEO Of 3C Datalec
“Datalec has always been a people-first business. We’ve grown by building strong relationships, delivering for our customers and creating a culture that people want to be part of. Finding a partner in 3C that genuinely shares those values was extremely important to us. This partnership allows us to grow globally while protecting the culture and identity that have been at the heart of Datalec since day one.”
Danny Keeper, Group Director And Co-Founder Of Datalec
“Our customers have trusted Datalec with their most critical sites for more than a decade, and we earn that trust on every project. Joining 3C means we can now offer liquid cooling at global scale, but our commitment doesn’t change: the same teams, the same contacts and the same focus on getting it right for every customer.”
Stuart Richmond, Group Director And Co-Founder Of Datalec
“AI is rewriting the requirements for data centre infrastructure and liquid cooling sits at the centre of that shift. Steve helped build a category leader in liquid cooling and Datalec brings a proven delivery business with a loyal customer base. We’re backing 3C Datalec to become the partner of choice for AI-ready infrastructure.”
Matthew Cunning, Director At Longbow Capital
“The next phase of data centre investment will be shaped by both new development and the need to upgrade existing facilities for higher-density workloads. Datalec has built deep trust delivering complex projects in that environment, and 3C brings the experience and capabilities to extend those relationships into a broader set of services across the life of a facility.”
Bala Nagarajan, Managing Director At S2G Investments
