LFB Group’s Lennox-branded Data Centre Solutions (DCS) division has expanded its European engineering footprint with a multi-million-euro investment in its two advanced R&D and manufacturing sites in Lyon.
The investment into its Lyon-based sites, located in Genas and Mions, comes as the division prepares to mark almost 12 months of operation.
“After launching this standalone data centre division just over a year ago, and rolling out our first two products earlier this year, things have been moving at full pace,” said Matt Evans, CEO of LFB Group’s Data Centre Solutions division.
The company said the investment in the centres is to meet growing demand for high-density, precision cooling systems across Europe’s data centre sector, driven by increasing AI workloads.
Estimates show that 100 new data centre facilities are planned for the UK alone and Europe-wide, with investment expected to exceed €94bn by 2030.
Lennox DCS’ expansion not only strengthens the firm’s R&D and manufacturing capabilities but also creates new opportunities for future talent across France, Germany and the Netherlands.
The team is expected to grow to around 40 positions by 2027, including roles in project management, operations, controls, commissioning and sales support.
Expansion of the Genas facility
At the heart of the investment is Lennox DCS’ 18,000 sqm Genas facility, originally built in 1968 and home to more than 300 specialists.
The site currently manufactures evaporators, condensers, racks and the newly launched ApX Series, comprising Computer Room Air Handlers and Fan Wall Units for high-load environments.
The latest upgrades introduce automated helium leak-testing stations and induction brazing to reinforce quality assurance across sensitive refrigeration and cooling components.
A new punching machine increases sheet-metal throughput and precision, while additional safety enhancements, including wheel-lock technology, streamline shop-floor operations.
In line with LFB Group’s sustainability roadmap and the UN Global Compact, the Genas site will also install more than 1,000 solar panels by 2026, bolstering renewable energy use in its manufacturing activities.
The Mions laboratory
Just a few kilometres from the Genas facility is the Mions laboratory, reinforced as the division’s dedicated R&D hub and Eurovent-accredited for rooftops, chillers and heat pumps.
The facility houses full ambient and climatic test chambers with humidity control, enabling operators to validate equipment performance under a wide range of real-world conditions, including rising rack densities and AI-driven workloads.
With these facilities operating in tandem, Lennox-branded DCS becomes one of the few European cooling manufacturers with a fully integrated, multi-site production network dedicated to data centre cooling systems.
“Significant growth in rack densities and AI-driven workloads is only increasing. Our enhanced offering in both R&D and manufacturing in Lyon means we can design, co-engineer, validate and deliver next-generation cooling systems faster and more effectively than ever,” said Evans.