Gradian Thermal Solutions has officially opened a new $60 million manufacturing facility in Dayton, Minnesota, expanding its production capabilities for advanced cooling and thermal management systems.
Announced on 28 October 2026, the 500,000-square-foot facility will support growing demand for liquid cooling technologies, commercial chillers and air handling equipment across data centres, industrial facilities and other critical infrastructure.
Production began at the site in June 2026, with Gradian continuing to increase manufacturing capacity following the official opening.
Expanding US manufacturing operations
The Dayton facility represents a significant expansion of Gradian’s manufacturing footprint.
Combined with its existing 180,000-square-foot site in Maple Grove, Minnesota, and 100,000-square-foot operation in Guadalajara, Mexico, the development brings the company’s total manufacturing space to approximately 780,000 square feet.
The new site includes dedicated assembly lines, fabrication equipment and an end-of-line testing laboratory for commercial chillers.
These capabilities will support production of Gradian’s thermal management portfolio, including liquid cooling systems, air handling equipment and prefabricated cooling solutions.
The expanded capacity is intended to meet increasing demand from customers operating mission-critical environments.
Strengthening production and testing capabilities
Gradian is developing a more vertically integrated manufacturing model, bringing additional production and testing processes together within its own facilities.
Jason Ulett, Chief Operating Officer of Gradian, said the expansion will help the business increase production capacity while maintaining quality, performance and operational scalability.
The new manufacturing infrastructure will support the development and assembly of engineered-to-order thermal management systems designed for complex customer requirements.
The company selected Dayton partly because of its proximity to Gradian’s Maple Grove headquarters, allowing closer collaboration between manufacturing and management teams.
Supporting workforce expansion
Alongside the investment in manufacturing capacity, Gradian has outlined plans for significant workforce growth.
The company expects to increase employment from approximately 150 people to around 1,000 across its operations, although no specific completion date has been announced.
Recruitment is taking place across engineering, project management, production, fabrication, assembly and other business functions.
The expansion comes as demand for thermal management infrastructure increases across data centres, industrial operations and commercial facilities.
By investing in additional manufacturing, assembly and testing capabilities, Gradian aims to strengthen its position within the North American thermal management market.
The opening marks an important step in the company’s strategy to expand its manufacturing footprint and support customers requiring reliable cooling technologies for critical applications.
