Siemens and Rittal for upgrading design data center. Key developments include a next generation "sidecar" power rack that delivers fast, scalable, and standardized power directly in the data center white space 17 March 2026 By Editorial staff Siemens and Rittal have entered a strategic partnership to jointly develop solutions for more efficient data center power distribution in the IEC market. The standardized infrastructure is intended to accelerate the construction of high- performance data centers, minimize time-to-compute, and address the rapidly increasing power densities of AI applications. Hot to win the challenge of a 1 MW per rack? The Rittal and Siemens shared vision. In AI data centers, power densities exceeding 100 kW per rack have become the norm. By 2030, the power density could increase to more than 1 MW. This requires innovative architecture for power distribution, cooling, and heat recovery. To address this, Siemens Smart Infrastructure is partnering with Friedhelm Loh Group and its largest company Rittal, a global supplier of racks and standardized infrastructure, including power and cooling for leading hyperscalers. "We have a long-standing collaboration with Siemens in a number of fields. We are proud to be taking our partnership to the next level," said Friedhelm Loh, owner and CEO of the Friedhelm Loh Group. "Both companies are driven by the desire to innovate. As technology leaders, we have a responsibility to keep strengthening our customers' competitiveness with the latest technologies." One of the first joint solutions will be a "sidecar" application that is housed directly in the white space of a data center, where the server cabinets and data storage are located. By bundling the power electronics in a dedicated power rack that supplies the server racks, this type of power supply represents a breakthrough for future AI applications. It provides computing units with a fast, simple, standardized, and scalable supply of power. OCP standards and the modular solution with tested technology from Rittal and Siemens ensure fast deployment, high availability, reliable operation, and maximized tokens-per- watt. These are the prerequisites for quickly bringing these relevant technologies to the digital economy. AI-optimized infrastructure. "To enable the rapid growth of AI, we need smart, reliable, and scalable power supply solutions for data centers and we need them quickly. In combination with our innovative electrical products and solutions, Rittal is an ideal partner when it comes to speed and standardization in infrastructure," said Andreas Matthé, CEO Electrical Products at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. Other Siemens and Rittal projects include the development of a standardized low-voltage distribution system for modular and containerized data centers as well as optimized solutions for operational and personal safety. The first customer projects are already underway.

Siemens and Rittal partner on AI data center infrastructure. The strategic collaboration aims to standardize power distribution as AI applications drive rack densities toward 1 megawatt. Siemens and Rittal have entered a strategic partnership to develop a standardized infrastructure for data centers, aiming to address the massive power demands of artificial intelligence. The collaboration focuses on creating future-proof power distribution solutions for the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) market. The initiative seeks to accelerate construction timelines and minimize "time-to-compute" as the industry grapples with rapidly increasing power densities. In modern AI-driven facilities, power densities exceeding 100 kW per rack have become standard. Industry projections suggest these densities could exceed 1 MW by 2030, necessitating a shift in how power, cooling, and heat recovery are managed within the white space. A primary development in the partnership is a next-generation "sidecar" power rack. This dedicated unit is designed to sit directly alongside server cabinets, providing a scalable and standardized power supply. By bundling power electronics in a dedicated rack, the companies aim to maximize "tokens-per-watt" and ensure high availability for high-performance computing units. "To enable the rapid growth of AI, we need smart, reliable, and scalable power supply solutions for data centers and we need them quickly," said Andreas Matthé, CEO of electrical products at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. The joint effort utilizes Siemens' electrical products alongside Rittal's RiLineX and Ri4Power platforms. The companies are also working on standardized low-voltage distribution systems for modular and containerized data centers, focusing on both operational and personal safety. Prof. Dr. Friedhelm Loh, owner and CEO of the Friedhelm Loh Group, said the technology leaders have a responsibility to strengthen customer competitiveness through innovation. The first customer projects are currently underway, and the companies indicated that the collaboration may extend to other industrial applications in the future. Featured. * Strengthening Healthcare Security with Sentri-Zone With over half of physicians feeling unprotected at work, Sentri-Zone offers a proactive shield against the rising tide of healthcare violence. Read Now * Hospital * Facility Security * Physical Security * Executive Protection in a Noisy World: Why Speed and Defensibility Matter CSOs are not short on data; they are short on time and trust. This is particularly true when it comes to Executive Protection (EP) in a high-velocity threat environment, where an online post can escalate into a real-world incident within minutes. Read Now * FBI Warns of Potential Iranian Drone Threat to California Coast Federal intelligence suggests sea-based unmanned aerial vehicle strikes are being considered as retaliation for the ongoing Middle East conflict. Read Now * Homeland Security * Government * Incident Response * How Agentic AI Will Shape the Autonomous SOC at Scale at ISC West 2026 SOCs, a relatively new phenomenon in the field of security, have seen steady, incremental improvements since their inception in the 90s. Fast forward to today, and the architecture of threat detection and response has dramatically outpaced the teams responsible for its oversight. Read Now * March Patch Tuesday Minimal Risks Highlight Shadow AI Threats Security leaders urged to prioritize internal AI audits over low-impact vulnerabilities as Microsoft releases a quiet monthly update. Read Now * Cybersecurity * Artificial Intelligence * Data Security

Efficiency gains in control panel manufacturing through new Wire Handling System. The next level of automation: The new Wire Handling System from Rittal Automation Systems transports pre-assembled wires just-in-time and just-in-sequence from the Wire Terminal to up to four workstations, Photo: Rittal Requirements in control panel and switchgear manufacturing are continuously increasing. Shorter throughput times, greater product variety, and a persistent shortage of skilled workers are posing structural challenges to the industry. Consistent, data-driven automation is seen as the key to addressing these developments. With the Wire Handling System, Rittal Automation Systems introduces a new component for automated wire distribution. The system is designed to work in conjunction with the Wire Terminal WT C wire processing center. It transports pre-assembled wires via compressed air to up to four workstations. Wires are provided just-in-time and just-in-sequence, significantly reducing internal logistics effort and storage requirements. Integration of the Wire Handling System into existing processes. The system consists of a wire distributor, wire receivers, and Teflon tubes. It supports wire cross-sections from 0.5 to 6 square millimeters and lengths from 220 to 4,000 millimeters. The maximum transport distance is 80 meters. Through direct integration with the Eplan Smart Production software platform, the right wire is delivered to the correct workstation at the right time. Wire distribution supports digitally guided wiring. In combination with Eplan Smart Wiring, the Wire Handling System becomes part of a digital assistance system. Based on engineering data from a digital twin, the sequence of wire requests is automatically managed. This enables even less experienced personnel to perform error-free and accelerated wiring. According to the provider, time savings of up to 90 percent in wire processing are achievable. Wire Handling System closes automation gap. The automated wire distribution system expands Rittal Automation Systems' existing portfolio for end-to-end automation. Especially in high-throughput operations, the system helps optimize workforce deployment while maintaining production quality. It is also designed for future developments such as the integration of wiring robots. Wire Handling System prepares companies for future of control panel and switchgear manufacturing. Thorsten Eberz, Head of Product Management at Rittal Automation Systems, summarizes: "The new Wire Handling System immediately generates added value by further accelerating the wiring process and by reducing errors through the interaction of Eplan software and the output system. At the same time, companies can begin preparing for the future of panel building and switchgear manufacturing with this solution: Not only can the Wire Distribution System be used to supply workstations, but also future wiring robots."