Electrical steels power data center and AI boom
With the first electrical steel now coming off the production line at ArcelorMittal’s new Mardyck plant near Dunkirk, a strategic partnership is accelerating between Nidec Power, global leader in generator technologies, and R.Bourgeois, a specialist in precision lamination punching. Together, they are supporting the fast-growing data center market with high-performance generators designed to meet the demands of digitalisation and AI.
The data center market is accelerating worldwide on the back of digitalisation and AI.
The exponential growth of data centers - driven by cloud computing, streaming, and AI workloads - is creating unprecedented demand for stable, uninterrupted power. These facilities operate 24/7 and house thousands of servers that must remain online at all times. Even brief power outages can result in significant data loss, service disruption, and financial impact. As a result, backup power systems, particularly generators, have become mission-critical infrastructure to ensure continuity and resilience.
At the heart of these generators are rotors and stators, built from stacks of precisely punched laminations made from non-oriented electrical steel (NOES). Nidec Power owns the design of these laminations, engineered to maximize performance and energy efficiency. These designs are manufactured by R.Bourgeois, based in Besançon, France, who has been a trusted partner of Nidec Power for over 60 years.
In this context, Nidec Power & R.Bourgeois play a vital role in powering the digital economy. The Nidec Power advanced generator technologies are key to supporting the reliability, scalability, and energy efficiency of modern data centers worldwide.
R.Bourgeois stators in production
ArcelorMittal and Nidec Power also have a long history together since French motor manufacturer, Leroy-SomerTM, acquired by Nidec in 2017, was among the first customers of ArcelorMittal’s Saint Chély-d’Apcher plant in southern France in early 20th century. The new Mardyck plant builds on ArcelorMittal’s electrical steels capacity in Europe, and will ensure an additional capacity of 200,000 tonnes per annum, taking overall production to 300,000 tonnes per annum.
“We are more than happy to see ArcelorMittal increasing its electrical steels capacity at Mardyck. It supports our continuous industrial presence in Europe, which is beneficial for our industry and our customers; this helps us within the huge growth opportunities in the data center global market,” Jérôme Vinot Préfontaine (Procurement Director, Nidec Power EMEA) comments. “24/7/365 data access continuity is essential in all data centers, and Nidec Power delivers the security of uninterrupted electrical power for them”.
Jérôme Vinot Préfontaine (Procurement Director, Nidec Power EMEA)
“Satisfying the fast-growing demands of data centers, and the AI market, requires real security and consistency of supply. The start-up of electric steel production at Mardyck has been well timed to provide this capacity and reliability. It’s a very strong commitment by ArcelorMittal to keep on investing in Europe and we are proud to be Mardyck’s first customeras we strongly support the Made in Europe concept.” “NOES is becoming crucially important to the energy transition, through the anticipated growth in efficient power supply and generators, or integration into EV powertrains. R.Bourgeois’ strength is in both high volume, high-speed pressing, and in lower volume, larger frame generator cores, taking advantage of our unique automated blanking and notching solutions.”
M. Raymond Nicolas Bourgeois, CEO, R.Bourgeois SA
The Mardyck plant will be delivering non-oriented electrical steel known for its excellent magnetic properties, including high magnetic permeability and low eddy current losses, which fits perfectly the needs for power generators cores.
“Our three-way partnership with R.Bourgeois and Nidec is a local-to-local success story in a competitive global market,” said Cristina de Lucas, CMO Electrical Steels, ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products.“ A French steel mill is supplying a French-based stator and rotor producer, supplying the French operations of Nidec Power. We believe this provides greater responsiveness and an easier, more reliable supply chain, whilst strongly supporting the environmental commitments of all three companies.”
Cristina de Lucas, CMO Electrical Steels, ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products
Nidec’s generators powering data centers
The newly commissioned electrical steel production line at ArcelorMittal’s Mardyck will add 200,000 tonnes of annual capacity.
More information
Electrical steels
ArcelorMittal Mardyck
Customer newsletter November 2025
Copyright pictures: ArcelorMittal, R. Bourgeois, Nidec & WhiteMocca/Shutterstock.com
