A family-owned Michigan factory has been caught off guard after a specialized component it has produced for decades suddenly became a hot commodity.
Armstrong International, founded in 1900 and still owned by the same family five generations later, manufactures equipment for steam and compressed-air systems. The company says its operations are guided by “God, family, and business – in that order.”
Andrew Witteck, Armstrong’s North American sales director, was surprised when the company’s Three Rivers plant began receiving an unusual wave of orders for a 50-year-old air vent. The purchases came from an anonymous buyer linked to several undisclosed locations.
Before the sudden surge, the air vent—designed years before personal computers became commonplace—usually sold in batches of roughly a dozen, Witteck told the Wall Street Journal. Earlier this year, however, Armstrong began receiving orders totaling 1,000 units or more.
The identity of the buyer was initially unclear, prompting Witteck to investigate.
He eventually contacted an engineer who had purchased one of Armstrong International’s air vents through a contractor.
“We got tipped off. It was [going] to a data center. That’s how data centers work. They don’t want anyone to know where they’re going, what they’re doing, how they’re doing it,” Witteck told the Journal.
His inquiries revealed that the semiconductor chips powering data centers require specialized liquid-cooling systems to keep them from overheating.
Andrew Witteck, Armstrong International’s North American sales director, is pictured with his wife. He was stunned when the mystery orders began arriving. Source: Facebook/Andrew Witteck
Until recently, the air vent—developed long before the personal-computer era—typically sold in batches of about a dozen. Source: Facebook/ Armstrong International
Witteck discovered that semiconductor chips in data centers need specialized liquid-cooling systems to prevent overheating.
“That was the biggest ‘Holy moly, this is insane!’ moment,” Witteck said. “It’s not like everyone and their brother makes an air vent.”
According to Mechanical Engineering and Plumbing academy: “Instead of relying solely on air to remove heat from processors, liquid is brought much closer to the heat source. The liquid absorbs heat directly from CPUs, GPUs, and other high-power components.”
The liquid-cooling systems release excess air through vents like those manufactured by Armstrong International, helping explain why demand for the company’s decades-old component has soared.
Chris Teddy, a data center director at JE Dunn Construction, described the industry’s challenge to the outlet as “trying to put 10 pounds of stuff in a five-pound bag.”
Witteck said he believed many of the bulk orders were destined for South Carolina.
“People do a soft wink: ‘They’re going to South Carolina.’ You can easily go Google data-center projects in South Carolina towns…. You’re pretty much left to deduce with 98% positivity that it’s going there.”
As the number of AI data centers expands—and their designs continue to change—small suppliers and contractors have struggled to cope with the surge in demand.
The surge in demand has prompted Armstrong’s Three Rivers factory to introduce a second shift and increase production. Source: Facebook/ Armstrong International
Kyle Higginbotham, Armstrong’s director of North American sales and marketing, told the outlet that the lack of basic information—including who is purchasing the products and where they are headed—has created an additional challenge.
He said the uncertainty has made it harder for Armstrong International to identify new customers, customize its designs and plan factory maintenance.
“Orders of this magnitude, you would think people are working on them for months. All of a sudden it’s like, ‘Nope, we got it. Let’s ship it,’” Higginbotham told the outlet.
The spike in demand has forced the Three Rivers factory to add a second shift to boost production. Source: Facebook/ Armstrong International
The outlet reported that demand for the air vents has risen 80% compared with a year ago and is expected to accelerate further.
Charlie Reynolds, a retired Armstrong engineer, designed the air vent in 1972. He chose stainless steel rather than cast iron to help prevent erosion.
Reynolds told the outlet that while he would consider future developments at the plant, “everybody around here doesn’t want” AI data centers.
The Daily Mail contacted Witteck for comment.