A relic of the Nixon era has unexpectedly become a highly prized technological property. THE The Wall Street Journal David Uberti reports that Armstrong International, a 126-year-old Michigan company known for its heating and cooling equipment, suddenly began receiving mysterious bulk orders for a stainless steel vent it has been selling since the 1970s. The orders were for more than 1,000 units at a time, compared to the dozens their oil refinery customers typically requested. But the distributors who ordered the water bottle-sized part were bound by confidentiality agreements and would not say who the end customers were.
After weeks of calls and guesswork, the 3,000-person company determined that data centers were behind the boom: Liquid cooling systems in buildings need a ventilation mechanism, and Armstrong’s part fits the bill, at a few hundred dollars apiece. Demand for the vent has increased about 80% year over year, and the company has added a second shift at its main Michigan location just to keep up. Uberti spoke with Charlie Reynolds, who designed the piece in 1972, to get his thoughts. “I’m going to call it a late bloomer,” he said of the blowhole. Read the full story here.
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