[Edaily Reporter JAEMIN SONG ] SamsungElectronics is investing 240 billion won in its Gwangju facility to establish production lines for cooling and air-conditioning equipment needed for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and advanced manufacturing facilities. The company plans to cultivate its heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) business as a future growth engine to meet the rapidly increasing demand for AI infrastructure.

SamsungElectronics announced on the 21st that it held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Flact Group’s HVAC production line at its Gwangju Business Site in the Gwangju Integrated Special City, South Jeolla Province. The event was attended by Roh Tae-moon, President and CEO of SamsungElectronics’ Device Experience (DX) Division; Tobias Ketele, CFO of Flact Group; and Min Hyung-bae, Mayor of the Gwangju Integrated Special City, South Jeolla Province.

SamsungElectronics will construct a production line with a total floor area of 21,800 square meters (approximately 6,600 pyeong) at the third campus of its Gwangju facility. The new line is scheduled to begin full-scale operations in early 2028.

This will be the Flakt Group’s 15th global production hub. It will play a key role in meeting the growing demand for cooling and HVAC systems in AI data centers, semiconductor and battery factories, and large-scale commercial facilities, primarily in South Korea and East Asia.

Products to be manufactured include chilled water distribution units (CDUs), fan wall units (FWUs), computer room air handling units (CRAHs), and air handling units (AHUs) for large buildings.

A CDU is a system that sends cooling water supplied from a data center’s central cooling unit to cooling plates in contact with semiconductors inside servers and then recirculates it. As high-performance AI semiconductors generate more heat, the importance of liquid cooling—which utilizes cooling water—is increasing compared to conventional methods that rely solely on air for cooling.

FWUs and CRAHs are devices that efficiently supply cold air to server rooms and recover and cool the heated air. AHUs comprehensively manage temperature, humidity, and airflow in large buildings.

SamsungElectronics plans to expand its production capacity for advanced cooling equipment and central air conditioning solutions based on these new production lines. The company intends to establish an integrated business system—spanning product development, production, installation, and maintenance—to respond swiftly to customer needs.

The company also aims to recruit and nurture local talent and promote shared growth with its partner companies. It plans to strengthen its safety management system throughout the entire process, from the groundbreaking to completion and the stabilization of mass production.

President Noh Tae-moon stated, “The groundbreaking of this production line marks another milestone in the leap forward of our HVAC business, a key growth engine,” adding, “We will develop the Gwangju facility into a cutting-edge manufacturing hub that produces both AI home appliances and next-generation HVAC solutions.”