3C, a data-centre infrastructure company focused on liquid cooling, has merged with Datalec Precision Installations, a London data-centre engineering firm, to create 3C Datalec. The companies announced the deal on 14 October 2026. Financial terms were not disclosed.
3C was founded by Steve Walton, former chief executive of the liquid-cooling company CoolIT Systems. Datalec was founded in London in 2012. The combined company says it will design, build and run critical infrastructure for AI data centres.
Why liquid cooling?
AI chips use far more power than ordinary servers, and almost all of that power turns into heat. Packing more of them into each rack makes the heat too much for air cooling, so data centres are turning to liquid, which carries heat away much better.
“Rack densities have outgrown air, and liquid cooling is no longer optional,” said Walton, who is chief executive of 3C Datalec.
The company’s figures
According to the release, 3C Datalec:
- has about 1,000 staff and forecasts more than US$400 million in revenue for 2026;
- works with four of the five largest hyperscalers, the biggest cloud companies, and more than 25 colocation providers, which rent out data-centre space;
- has active projects in 16 countries totalling hundreds of megawatts; and
- plans to hire 200 engineers and open new sites in Warsaw, Calgary and Austin over the next 12 months.
These are the company’s own figures and forecast. It did not name its customers.
The deal is backed by new investment from Longbow Capital, S2G Investments, Apogem Capital and QIC. Datalec’s headquarters will stay in London, and its founders will keep their executive roles.
What this means
- Cooling is now central to AI data centres. Firms that can install and run liquid cooling are in demand.
- Services firms are consolidating. Combining cooling, engineering and maintenance gives operators one supplier from design to operation.
- The numbers are a forecast. Revenue and growth plans come from the company, and the deal’s terms are private.
Sources
- 3C Datalec, “3C Merges with Datalec to Create US$400M+ Revenue Liquid Cooling and Data Centre Services Platform”, PR Newswire, 14 October 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/3c-merges-with-datalec-to-create-us400m-revenue-liquid-cooling-and-data-centre-services-platform-302907856.html
