What happens when your AI workload outpaces your infrastructure?
It’s a growing concern for data center operators worldwide. the pressure on physical infrastructure has never been more intense, with an increase in GPU cluster scale, a surge in thermal loads, and rack power densities reaching record-breaking levels, often surpassing 100 kW.
Capacity is no longer the challenge; it’s about how rapidly and efficiently that capacity can be delivered and sustained.
On June 11, 2025, with its latest release of prefabricated modular data center pods and advanced rack and cooling systems, Schneider Electric is tackling this challenge head-on.
The goal is to provide an AI-ready environment without compromising on sustainability, performance, or control.
“The sheer power and density required for AI clusters create bottlenecks that demand a new approach to data center architecture,” said Himamshu Prasad, Senior Vice President of EcoStruxure IT, Transactional & Edge and Energy Storage Center of Excellence at Schneider Electric. “Customers need integrated infrastructure solutions that not only handle extreme thermal loads and dynamic power profiles but also deploy rapidly, scale predictably, and operate efficiently and sustainably. Our innovative next-generation EcoStruxure solutions that support NVIDIA technology address these critical requirements head-on.”
Reimagining the Rack for AI Workloads
Schneider’s EcoStruxure Rack Solutions are engineered to support server architectures from leading chipmakers by accommodating industry-standard form factors, including EIA, ORV3, and NVIDIA MGX, while enabling high-density deployments through integrated liquid cooling and optimized power distribution.
The newly introduced NetShelter SX Advanced Enclosure offers a taller, deeper, and structurally reinforced frame engineered to support the added weight, cabling, and airflow demands of today’s high-density AI servers. With shock-rated packaging and certified load capacities of up to 4,250 lb static and 3,500 lb dynamic, it ensures secure transport of liquid-cooled systems and GPU-intensive nodes.
Schneider’s new NetShelter Rack PDU delivers significantly more circuits in a compact footprint, redefining power distribution at the rack level. It features intelligent energy management with up to 50% more power and twice the number of outlets, enabled by its 4in1 combination outlet design.
Seamlessly integrated with EcoStruxure IT via the NMC3 Network Management Card, which enables real-time remote visibility, secure access control, and advanced power diagnostics, empowering operators to monitor and manage rack power with enhanced efficiency and precision.
“With enhanced weight support, airflow management, and physical security, we are enabling our customers to optimise their data centre operations while also advancing sustainability,” said Elliott Turek, director of category management, secure power division, Schneider Electric. “Our NetShelter SX enclosures are a leap forward in addressing the critical requirements of high-density applications.”
Fast-Track Deployment with Modular Pods
The highlight of Schneider’s announcement is the prefabricated, modular EcoStruxure Pod Data Center, a plug-and-play pod system that integrates power, cooling, cabling, and high-density racks into a ready-to-deploy solution.
Each EcoStruxure Pod is engineered-to-order, factory pre-tested, and designed for consistent performance across all deployments, minimizing rollout time by several months. These pods support hot-aisle containment and are integrated with both rear-door and InRow cooling systems, flexible power delivery via busway infrastructure, and can handle AI cluster loads of up to 1 MW per pod
“Our collaboration with JLL and Lumen Technologies provides our clients with options to handle the megatrends…with solutions that are digital, sustainable, efficient, and built to scale,” said Michele Hix, Vice President, Strategic Customers, North America Operations, Schneider Electric.
A Strategic Alignment with NVIDIA
Schneider has introduced an Open Compute Project (OCP) inspired rack system, designed specifically to support NVIDIA’s GB200 NVL72 platform, which uses the modular MGX architecture. This marks the first integration of Schneider hardware into NVIDIA’s MGX/HGX compute ecosystem.
Vladimir Troy, vice president of data centre engineering, operations, enterprise software and cloud services at NVIDIA, said, “Schneider Electric’s innovative solutions provide the reliable, scalable infrastructure our customers need to accelerate their AI initiatives,” he continued, “Together, we’re addressing the rapidly growing demands of AI factories, from kilowatt to megawatt-scale racks and delivering future-proof solutions that maximise scalability, density and efficiency.””
This design compatibility is a significant milestone. NVIDIA’s MGX architecture, offering a modular, reference-standard framework for AI infrastructure, is now explicitly supported by Schneider’s rack system. This bodes well for customers who can seamlessly deploy GB200 NVL72 and similar high-density AI platforms within Schneider hardware, simplifying rollouts in next-generation data center environments.
Global Momentum Behind Schneider’s AI Infrastructure Push
Schneider Electric backs these innovations with proven global scale and strong market traction. By the end of 2024, the company reported annual revenue of €38 billion (~USD 44 billion), with net profit up by 7% compared to the previous year, driven by strong growth in its data center and infrastructure systems segment.
Schneider Electric’s data center and network segment now accounts for about 24% of total revenue. While sales in this division have grown at an average rate of around 4% over the past decade, the company is now projecting a growth rate of 10% or more through 2027.
“There’s been an interesting debate about whether Schneider can hit its targets, because you look at it and think, ‘It’s a European Industrials company, it shouldn’t be growing that fast. But the company’s business profile has changed. Schneider is no longer just a hardware company,” said Sean Contant, CFA - Analyst for Harding Loevner LP.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, Schneider Electric achieved organic revenue growth of 12.5%, reaching €10.67 billion (~USD 10 billion), driven primarily by sustained demand from hyperscalers and enterprise data centers.
Addressing it, Olivier Blum, CEo, Schneider Electric said, “I am pleased to report very strong financial and extra-financial results in 2024 and I am proud to share that we have been recognized as the World's most sustainable corporation by Corporate Knights for the second time, by driving value for our customers, employees and our shareholders through sustainable practices, we had a strong finish to 2024 with an acceleration of both businesses in the 4th quarter - a true testament to our focused execution and collaboration across the whole Group.” He added, “Looking ahead, we remain committed to accelerating growth and will strive to capture the unique opportunities ahead of us in all of our four end-markets. This positions us firmly on track to achieve our 2027 ambitions.”
In the fourth quarter of 2024, North America posted an outstanding performance with 21.9% organic revenue growth, driven largely by strong demand in data centers and infrastructure systems. Meanwhile, Asia Pacific delivered 8.2% organic growth, supported by ongoing data center investments across India, Australia, Malaysia, and Singapore
Schneider’s focus on AI infrastructure aligns with its recent financial performance and increasing activity in the global data center market.
Summing It Up
In an era where AI demands are outpacing traditional data center capabilities, Schneider Electric’s modular, high-density infrastructure solutions present a timely and strategic answer. By integrating sustainability, rapid scalability, and future-proof design, backed by collaboration with NVIDIA and strong financial momentum, Schneider is positioning itself not just as a hardware provider but as a leader shaping the next generation of AI-ready data environments.
