Gradian Thermal Solutions, a U.S. designer and manufacturer of thermal management systems for mission-critical environments, has announced the grand opening of a new 500,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Dayton, Minnesota.

Data Center Cooling Manufacturing Capacity Expansion

The company described the project as an investment of approximately USD 60 million. According to the announcement, dated Oct. 28, 2026, production began at the site in June, and Gradian continues to ramp up capacity.

The expansion spans the company's air handling, liquid cooling, and chiller lines and will serve data center, industrial, and commercial customers.

A Larger Manufacturing Footprint

The Dayton facility joins two existing Gradian sites: a 180,000-square-foot facility in Maple Grove, Minnesota, and a 100,000-square-foot facility in Guadalajara, Mexico.

With the addition of Dayton, the company's combined manufacturing footprint reaches approximately 780,000 square feet. Gradian said the expansion establishes it as a significant player in thermal management for mission-critical applications.

The company said it expects the investment to significantly expand its manufacturing capacity, supporting what it characterized as strong and growing demand from data center, industrial, and commercial customers.

Workforce Growth Plans

Alongside the capacity increase, Gradian said it expects to grow its workforce from approximately 150 employees to around 1,000 companywide.

The company is hiring for a range of roles across the Dayton facility, including engineering, project management, and accounting, as well as production, fabrication, and assembly. Candidates can view current openings and apply through the company's LinkedIn jobs page.

Gradian also noted that it has had strong experiences with the area's workforce and is excited to continue growing in Minnesota.

What the Facility Contains

The Dayton site supports Gradian's established portfolio of thermal management solutions, which the company said spans liquid cooling, chillers, air handling, commissioning products, and prefabricated solutions.

According to the announcement, the facility includes assembly lines, fabrication equipment, and an end-of-line testing lab for the company's chiller product line. All of these capabilities support Gradian's data center, industrial, and commercial customers.

Vertical Integration as the Operating Model

Jason Ulett, Chief Operating Officer of Gradian, framed the expansion as a deliberate move to meet rising demand.

"The Dayton expansion is a deliberate investment in our ability to meet the growing demands of mission-critical thermal management applications for our ever-growing customer base," Ulett said.

"At the core of this expansion is a vertically integrated operating model, enabling dedicated assembly and testing capabilities specifically designed to ensure quality, performance, and scalability."

The dedicated assembly and end-of-line testing capabilities described in the release reflect that operating model, which Gradian said is designed with quality, performance, and scalability in mind.

Why Dayton

Gradian said Dayton offered the space and the location the company needed.

The facility is large enough to support the company's growth and sits close to Gradian's Maple Grove headquarters, which allows the core management team to work easily across both sites.

An Engineering-Led, Full-Line Strategy

Gradian describes itself as an engineering-led, full-line thermal solutions partner.

The company said it is building the capacity, the portfolio, and the operating model to meet the evolving thermal management needs of mission-critical customers, and it plans to continue expanding across North America.

About the Company

Gradian is a leading U.S. designer and manufacturer of advanced thermal management solutions for mission-critical environments.

According to its boilerplate, the company specializes in rapid customer-focused response and deployment, offering engineered-to-order products designed to meet complex customer requirements. Its portfolio includes liquid cooling, air handling, chillers, and integrated modular HVAC solutions.

The company's announcement also points to a recent change in its corporate identity. Gradian Thermal Solutions recently launched as the unified parent brand of MAS HVAC, Daedex, DeepCoolAI, and Ecochillers.

In a separate release, the company spotlighted how Ecochillers brings an expanded thermal solutions portfolio to the Gradian platform. The Dayton announcement lists Jessica Smaagaard, Chief Human Resource Officer, as the media contact.

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