Data center cooling has become increasingly important as AI, GPU, and high-performance computing workloads push rack densities higher. This guide examines six companies involved in different parts of the cooling ecosystem: Central States Industrial (CSI) Store, McMaster-Carr, MSC Industrial Supply, Daikin Applied, STULZ, and CoolIT Systems. Their offerings range from liquid-cooling components and custom fabrication to HVAC, humidity control, industrial supplies, and direct liquid cooling for high-density computing environments.
- Higher-density AI and GPU workloads are increasing the cooling demands placed on modern data centers.
- Data center cooling decisions can influence energy consumption, thermal performance, PUE, WUE, and operating costs.
- CSI Store combines liquid-cooling component distribution with custom fabrication capabilities.
- McMaster-Carr and MSC Industrial Supply provide components and MRO supplies that can support cooling infrastructure installation and maintenance.
- Daikin Applied focuses on commercial and industrial HVAC equipment, including chillers and air-handling systems.
- STULZ specializes in cooling and humidity-control systems for data centers and other mission-critical environments.
- CoolIT Systems focuses on direct liquid cooling for AI, HPC, and high-density computing deployments.
- Vendor selection should consider thermal load, rack density, cooling method, service capabilities, compliance requirements, and measurable efficiency improvements.
Data Center Cooling Technologies are no longer a nice-to-have. They’re what separates a facility running at peak performance from one quietly bleeding energy costs while GPU workloads push rack temperatures past safe thresholds.
Managing exponentially increasing heat densities, cutting water consumption under growing environmental pressure, and updating legacy infrastructure without disrupting service — these are real daily pressures. After reviewing dozens of suppliers across the cooling ecosystem, this guide covers six companies worth knowing if you’re making serious infrastructure decisions.
Behind the ranking
Public information drove every choice here: user reviews, case studies, feature documentation, and supplier directories. Only companies with a proven track record in data center infrastructure made the cut.
→ See the full research breakdown
- Central States Industrial (CSI) Store – Best for data center cooling, hygienic liquid processing, and custom sanitary process systems
- McMaster-Carr – Best for industrial equipment and supplies for data center operations
- MSC Industrial Supply – Best for metalworking and MRO product distribution
- Daikin Applied – Best for commercial and industrial HVAC systems for data centers
- STULZ – Best for data center cooling and humidity control solutions
- CoolIT Systems – Best for enterprise HPC and hyperscale data center cooling
The Real Impact of Data Center Cooling Technologies
Picking the wrong cooling approach doesn’t just affect your PUE benchmarks. It creates compounding problems: overheated racks, throttled processors, and ballooning energy bills that show up long before anyone flags the issue.
AI and GPU workloads have changed what “high density” means. Racks that once ran at 5kW are now pushed well past 20kW, and traditional air cooling simply can’t keep up with that thermal load.
Water consumption is the other pressure point. Facilities facing environmental scrutiny need cooling systems that keep WUE low without sacrificing rack inlet temperature consistency.
The right choice here connects directly to CUE improvements, better PUE performance benchmarks, and long-term environmental goals that your team actually cares about.
6 Top Picks at a Glance
Note: All data in this table is sourced from review platforms and the official websites of the listed companies.
| Company Name | Years Operating | Headquartered In |
| Central States Industrial (CSI) Store | Since 1977 | Springfield, MO |
| McMaster-Carr | Since 1901 | Elmhurst, Illinois |
| MSC Industrial Supply | Since 1941 | Davidson, North Carolina |
| Daikin Applied | Since 1924 | Plymouth, Minnesota |
| STULZ | Since 1947 | Hamburg, Germany |
| CoolIT Systems | Since 2001 | Calgary, Canada |
Central States Industrial (CSI) Store – Best for Custom Liquid Cooling Fabrication and Distribution
What Services and Products Does Central States Industrial (CSI) Store Offer?
Central States Industrial (CSI) Store covers liquid cooling supply and custom fabrication for data center infrastructure as part of a broader portfolio that spans food, pharma, and biotech. They stock specialty alloys, fittings, pumps, valves, tubing, and instrumentation across five US distribution centers, so components actually ship fast. Their in-house team includes ASME Section IX certified welders and CNC machinists who build custom process skids and sanitary systems. That dual capability (stocked parts plus custom-engineered systems) makes them a practical partner when off-the-shelf components won’t cut it.
Why Is Central States Industrial (CSI) Store a Contender for Data Center Cooling Technologies?
Data center liquid cooling requires components built to tight tolerances, and CSI’s ASME-certified welding with Level II inspection done in a climate-controlled facility directly addresses that need. Five strategically placed US distribution points also mean faster deployment of cooling infrastructure components, which matters when a build timeline is tight.
Real User Sentiment:
From what the available information shows, CSI’s reputation is built on reliability across demanding process environments. Users in hygienic and specialty industries point to the quality of their fabrication and the responsiveness of their distribution network as consistent strengths. That kind of field-tested dependability is hard to match when infrastructure requirements are strict.
McMaster-Carr – Best for Industrial Equipment and Supplies for Data Center Operations
What Services and Products Does McMaster-Carr Offer?
McMaster-Carr runs one of the largest B2B industrial supply catalogs out there, with over 580,000 products covering hardware, raw materials, tools, and maintenance equipment. For data center infrastructure teams, that means fast access to a wide range of components without minimum order requirements or restocking fees. Their 98% stock availability rate and next-day delivery commitment are what set them apart. Honestly, for facilities teams who need something fast without going through a procurement process, McMaster-Carr is the kind of supplier you keep bookmarked.
Why Is McMaster-Carr a Contender for Data Center Cooling Technologies?
Cooling system builds and repairs often require rapid sourcing of specific hardware, and McMaster-Carr’s next-day delivery with near-complete stock availability removes one of the biggest delays in that process. Over 123 years of operational history and $1.3 billion in annual revenue signals the kind of stability that procurement teams need when sourcing for infrastructure projects.
Real User Sentiment:
McMaster-Carr earns consistent praise for its live customer representatives, which is genuinely rare in B2B distribution. Reviewers frequently mention that real humans help source hard-to-find parts without putting you on hold for an hour. From what the reviews show, that service experience is as much of a draw as the product catalog itself.
MSC Industrial Supply – Best for Metalworking and MRO Product Distribution
What Services and Products Does MSC Industrial Supply Offer?
MSC Industrial Supply covers metalworking and MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations) products across a catalog of more than two million items. They serve machine shops, manufacturing facilities, and government agencies through e-commerce, catalogs, and regional fulfillment centers. Their in-plant inventory management and vending services are particularly useful for facilities that run high-volume part consumption. Metalworking makes up 45% of their business, and the technical depth they bring to that category is worth knowing about if your team is building or maintaining cooling infrastructure components.
Why Is MSC Industrial Supply a Contender for Data Center Cooling Technologies?
Data center cooling systems often require precise metal components and regular maintenance supplies, and MSC’s depth in metalworking products gives facilities teams access to the right materials without sourcing from multiple vendors. Over 80 years of distribution experience, combined with regional fulfillment centers, supports consistent supply chain reliability for ongoing cooling system maintenance.
Real User Sentiment:
MSC’s inventory breadth and technical support are the features that come up most when customers talk about their experience. Customers working in manufacturing and industrial environments note that the in-plant vending and inventory management programs reduce the friction of day-to-day parts sourcing. Teams that run high-consumption facilities tend to stick with MSC for exactly that reason.
Daikin Applied – Best for Commercial and Industrial HVAC Systems for Data Centers
What Services and Products Does Daikin Applied Offer?
Daikin Applied designs and manufactures HVAC systems for commercial and industrial environments, including rooftop systems, chillers, air handlers, and fan coils. Their focus on energy use and air quality connects directly to the performance benchmarks data center operators care about most. The company operates through 170 sales, service, and parts offices globally, and their 24/7 service capability with rental equipment backup is the kind of support structure that matters when cooling failure isn’t an option (and in a data center, it never is).
Why Is Daikin Applied a Contender for Data Center Cooling Technologies?
Daikin Applied is backed by Daikin Industries, the world’s largest air conditioning company at $30.8 billion in revenue, which means the R&D and service depth behind each product line is substantial. Their gold award from The Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration News in the HVAC Commercial Equipment category shows their work gets recognized beyond just marketing claims.
Real User Sentiment:
Daikin Applied’s recognition through industry awards points to a track record that holds up to external evaluation. The company’s backing from a Forbes 2000 parent organization gives buyers confidence that parts, service, and support won’t disappear mid-contract. That kind of institutional backing (not cheap, but reassuring) is a real factor when selecting cooling partners for long-term infrastructure.
STULZ – Best for Data Center Cooling and Humidity Control Solutions
What Services and Products Does STULZ Offer?
STULZ builds cooling and humidity control systems for data centers and mission-critical environments. Their product line covers computer room air conditioners, air handlers, chillers, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, container modules, and liquid cooling systems. With 8,200 employees, 21 subsidiaries, and representation in over 150 countries, their global reach is hard to match. Their CyberCool WaterTec series shows a genuine push toward low-GWP refrigerants and eco-friendly design, which matters for facilities working toward WUE and CUE targets under ASHRAE, EPA Energy Star, ISO 50001, and EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres.
Why Is STULZ a Contender for Data Center Cooling Technologies?
STULZ has been building data center cooling systems since 1947 and expanding internationally since 1974, which means the engineering principles behind their products have been tested across decades and climates. Their German Engineering approach to quality and performance gives facilities managers a product line built for long mean time between cooling failures, not just spec-sheet performance.
Real User Sentiment:
STULZ’s long history in the data center cooling space tends to show up in how customers talk about reliability. The company’s specialized focus (as opposed to being a general HVAC manufacturer with a data center product line tacked on) gives buyers more confidence that the people they’re working with actually understand the environment. That kind of depth is rare and genuinely useful when deployments get complex.
CoolIT Systems – Best for Enterprise HPC and Hyperscale Data Center Cooling
What Services and Products Does CoolIT Systems Offer?
CoolIT Systems designs and manufactures liquid cooling for AI workloads and high-performance compute environments. Their product line includes cold plates for CPUs and GPUs, coolant distribution units, rack manifolds, and integrated cooling loops. What makes them different is the end-to-end support: system design, prefabricated piping, global onsite service, project management, and training. Their modular Rack DLC technology is built to push rack densities higher while keeping power efficiencies in check, which is exactly what AI-dense deployments require (think enterprise-scale pricing, but the performance justifies it).
Why Is CoolIT Systems a Contender for Data Center Cooling Technologies?
Seven of the world’s top ten supercomputers run on CoolIT cooling technology, including the number one El Capitan system, and that kind of proof point is hard to argue with when evaluating liquid cooling vendors. Their ISO9001:2015 certified production with 100% leak and functional system testing means quality checks aren’t just a claim — it’s built into every unit that ships.
Real User Sentiment:
CoolIT’s recognition through the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 and Financial Times’ Top 250 fastest-growing companies signals that the market is paying attention to what they’re building. Their second-place finish in Mechanical and Plant Engineering in the FT ranking tells you they’re not just fast-growing but technically credible. Operators running the most demanding compute workloads tend to land on CoolIT after evaluating the field.
How These Were Chosen and Verified
Building this list started with gathering a broad field of candidates from supplier directories, industry-specific databases, and vendor review platforms. The goal was to capture companies actively serving data center cooling needs, not just those with tangential product overlap.
The Data Collection Phase Explained
Candidate companies were sourced from multiple channels: technical directories, trade publication references, product review databases, and publicly accessible case study repositories. Each entry was logged with available details around product focus, geographic reach, and market presence. The starting pool was deliberately wide to avoid excluding legitimate players early in the process.
The Shortlisting Pass
From that initial pool, entries with insufficient public documentation were removed. Companies without traceable case studies, verifiable product lines, or meaningful presence in relevant review channels didn’t advance. Review patterns were examined for consistency across platforms, and any company with isolated or unverifiable feedback was flagged and set aside.
Verification Pass
Each shortlisted company’s stated capabilities were checked against what showed up in third-party sources. Where a company claimed specific product capabilities or service reach, those claims were cross-referenced with independent reviews, technical documentation, and real-world deployment references. Gaps between marketing language and documented outcomes narrowed the list further.
Industry Recognition and Authority
Companies were evaluated for external validation beyond their own websites. Award citations, mentions in trade publications, analyst references, and industry certifications and third-party validations were all considered. Companies recognized by credible external sources (whether through awards, rankings, or publication features) carried more weight in the final selection.
Evidence Specific to Data Center Cooling Technologies
The final filter focused on data center cooling relevance. Each company needed dedicated service pages, product lines, or documented deployments in the data center environment. General industrial suppliers with a passing reference to data centers didn’t qualify. Only those with clear, documented involvement in cooling infrastructure for compute environments made the final six.
What to Look For When Choosing Data Center Cooling Technologies
Choosing a cooling technology partner is more than a procurement decision. The right fit depends on how well a vendor’s actual capabilities match the specific thermal load, density, and regulatory environment of your facility.
- Industry/Domain Experience: Look for companies with documented deployments in environments similar to yours, whether that’s hyperscale, colocation, or edge. General HVAC experience and data center cooling experience are different things.
- Features and Service: Check whether the vendor covers the full range you need: liquid cooling, air handling, humidity control, or custom fabrication. Single-product vendors can leave gaps.
- Pricing Structure: Understand whether you’re looking at capital expenditure on equipment, ongoing service contracts, or both. Some vendors (think enterprise pricing) bundle installation and monitoring into the cost.
- Results Measurement: Ask how vendors track cooling performance gains and PUE performance benchmarks. If they can’t show you how performance is measured after deployment, that’s a gap worth pressing on.
- Industry Knowledge and Compliance: Verify that the vendor understands ASHRAE, EPA Energy Star, ISO 50001, and EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres requirements relevant to your region and facility type.
Final Take
The data center cooling space has moved well past one-size-fits-all air conditioning. AI workloads, tighter environmental mandates, and higher rack densities mean the gap between a well-chosen cooling partner and a mismatched one shows up directly in PUE, WUE, and operating costs. Each company on this list brings something specific to the table, so the right pick depends on your deployment type, density requirements, and how much engineering support you actually need going in.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are data centre cooling technologies?
Data centre cooling technologies are systems and components used to remove heat generated by servers, GPUs, networking equipment, and other computing infrastructure. They can include air cooling, chillers, air handlers, liquid cooling, coolant distribution units, cold plates, and humidity-control systems.
Why is data centre cooling important for AI workloads?
AI and GPU-intensive workloads can create significantly higher rack-level heat loads. Cooling infrastructure therefore needs to remove heat effectively while maintaining appropriate operating conditions for computing equipment.
What is liquid cooling in a data centre?
Liquid cooling uses a liquid coolant to capture and transfer heat from computing equipment. Depending on the design, systems can include cold plates, coolant distribution units, manifolds, piping, and other components.
What should businesses consider when choosing a data centre cooling solution?
Important considerations include rack density, thermal load, existing infrastructure, energy and water consumption, scalability, maintenance requirements, service availability, compliance, and the type of computing workloads being supported.
What do PUE and WUE mean in data centres?
PUE, or Power Usage Effectiveness, is commonly used to assess how efficiently a data center uses energy. WUE, or Water Usage Effectiveness, provides a way to evaluate water consumption relative to computing operations.
Is traditional air cooling enough for high-density data centres?
It depends on rack density, hardware, facility design, and operating conditions. As heat density increases, some facilities may need supplemental or alternative approaches such as direct liquid cooling.
What is a coolant distribution unit?
A coolant distribution unit, or CDU, manages and circulates coolant between facility-level cooling infrastructure and liquid-cooled computing equipment.
How should data center cooling vendors be compared?
Compare vendors based on relevant deployments, supported cooling technologies, engineering expertise, service capabilities, scalability, performance measurement, maintenance support, certifications, and compatibility with the facility's infrastructure.
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