Flex Adds Modular Rack CDU for AI & Hyperscale to Cooling Portfolio

Core Insights - Flex Ltd. has launched its Modular Rack-Level Cooling Distribution Unit (CDU) through its liquid cooling subsidiary, JetCool, marking a significant addition to its cooling solutions portfolio [1][9] - The new CDU is designed to meet the demands of modern data centers, focusing on scalability, efficiency, flexibility, and ease of integration [2][3] - Flex aims to generate approximately $6.5 billion in data center revenues, reflecting a year-over-year growth of at least 35%, which constitutes 25% of its total revenues [8][9] Product Features - The Modular Rack-Level CDU supports configurations of 2 to 6 CDUs per rack, providing cooling capacities ranging from 600 kW to 1.8 MW, and operates at 1–1.5 LPM/kW [3] - It allows for mixed configurations of CDUs, servers, and storage, optimizing rack space and maximizing compute density [3][4] - The vertically integrated approach of Flex's liquid cooling solutions ensures seamless scalability and operational ease, with standardized design elements and in-house production [4][5] Market Strategy - Flex is aggressively expanding into the high-growth data center market, offering a comprehensive range of IT hardware and infrastructure solutions [6] - The company has partnered with Renesas to develop next-generation board-mounted power management solutions, enhancing its capabilities in the data center sector [7] - Despite facing macroeconomic challenges and tariff-related costs, Flex is implementing proactive pricing measures to mitigate impacts on cash flow and margins [9][10] Competitive Landscape - Flex's peers, such as Jabil and Celestica, are also positioned to benefit from the growing demand in AI data center infrastructure, although they face their own set of challenges [12][14] - Jabil is expected to gain from robust demand across multiple sectors, while Celestica anticipates significant revenue growth driven by AI-driven investments [12][14] - Competition remains intense in the electronics manufacturing services sector, with several companies vying for market share [15]