On May 29, 2025, McGuireWoods Consulting infrastructure and economic development team members Ford Graham, Steven Pearce and Margaret Rockwell penned an article titled “From Silicon to Server: Mapping the Data Center Supply Chain” for Area Development Magazine.
The piece details the complex nature of the data center supply chain and how the industry continues to experience monumental growth as the vitality of these data centers becomes increasingly integral in the day to day lives of Americans.
Graham, Pearce and Rockwell emphasized the essential nature of these data centers, as they fuel applications like Dropbox, Google Drive, Netflix and Microsoft 365. Furthermore, these data centers have become all important as they facilitate the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and machine learning requirements.
“Nearly every modern industry heavily relies upon the data center ecosystem,” the article states. “While we work from our home office or from an airplane seat at 30,000 feet, file our taxes, pay our bills, place our grocery delivery order, hail an Uber, or sit in our recliner streaming the latest episode of ‘The White Lotus,’ we actively (although rarely realizing it) are totally dependent upon data centers and their supply chains.”
Additionally, the article unpacks the material needs keeping these data centers functioning: from uninterruptible power supplies and backup generators to servers and cooling systems. The myriad of moving parts highlights the complex network of manufacturers and appliances needed to uphold these data centers.
Lastly, the team notes that while the industry navigates challenges, it will continue to respond to increasing pressure through innovative problem solving and technological advancement.
“The future is bright for product and service providers that make up the booming data center ecosystem, as well as for those communities that these companies call home,” the article states. “The industry stands poised not only to overcome its current challenges but to build a more resilient, sustainable digital foundation for the future.”
