Mumbai: Shree Refrigerations Limited (SRL), a leading player in defence and industrial cooling solutions, has announced a strategic association with Smardt Chillers Pte Ltd, a global leader in oil-free chiller technology, to introduce advanced energy-efficient cooling solutions for India’s fast-growing data centre market.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the collaboration was signed on Tuesday, through Trezor Technologies Pvt. Ltd., a wholly-owned SRL subsidiary. The partnership aims to deliver state-of-the-art magnetic bearing chiller technology specifically designed for mission-critical data centre applications.
Shree Refrigerations Limited (BSE SME: “SHREEREF”) is an Indian engineering company specializing in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVAC&R) solutions for defence, industrial, and critical applications. Headquartered in Karad, Maharashtra, SRL operates across major cities, offering advanced, reliable, and customized cooling systems.
Speaking on the development, R.G. Shende, Chairman & Managing Director of Shree Refrigerations Limited, said: “Data centres demand the highest levels of efficiency and uptime. Our association with Smardt enables us to offer cutting-edge magnetic bearing chiller technology to Indian customers, strengthening our commitment to reliable and energy-efficient cooling solutions. With our proven expertise in critical sectors like defence, we are confident of creating significant value for the data centre industry in India.”
The collaboration marks a major step in SRL’s diversification strategy beyond its traditional defence sector focus. The company expects the new data centre cooling vertical to contribute 10–15% of revenues over the next three years, creating a balanced business mix and unlocking new growth opportunities.
Smardt is recognized globally for its oil-free chillers, with over 10,000 installations worldwide. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Smardt is a global leader in high-efficiency, oil-free chiller solutions for data centres, industrial, and commercial applications, with operations across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
The oil free chillers of Smardt, use magnetic bearings instead of oil, are 20–50% more energy-efficient than conventional systems, delivering the industry’s lowest Power Utilization Efficiency (PUE) — a critical metric for data centres. The technology also reduces maintenance costs significantly.
Highlighting the opportunity in India, Derek Chan, Director – Data Centres (Asia Pacific), Smardt Chillers, said: “India is one of the fastest-growing data centre markets globally. We are excited to collaborate with Shree Refrigerations to bring our world-class technology here. With SRL’s strong technical expertise and market presence, we aim to deliver unmatched value for customers seeking sustainable, future-ready solutions.”
SRL has already installed and commissioned 40+ magnetic bearing chillers in India, underscoring its technical expertise. By partnering with Smardt, SRL aims to strengthen its position in the energy-efficient data centre cooling market, supporting India’s digital infrastructure growth in line with the government’s sustainability goals.
