Rise Power Systems Launched Data Center Gear Division
The firm expanded into manufacturing power distribution infrastructure for data centers across North Carolina.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Data Centers
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Rise Companies has launched a new subsidiary called Rise Power Systems, which will manufacture power distribution equipment designed for data center infrastructure. The company operates across 200,000 square feet of manufacturing space in Raleigh and Washington, North Carolina.
Why it matters
The formation of this entity reflects growing corporate efforts to address the accelerating demand for specialized hardware required to support power-hungry data center and industrial facilities.
The new subsidiary operates out of 200,000 square feet of total manufacturing space in North Carolina. It scales up from an initial team of 15 staff, with plans to reach 50 employees by next year.
The players
Rise Power Systems
A new manufacturing subsidiary of Rise Companies focused on power distribution hardware for the data center market.
Harry Smith
The owner of Rise Companies who initiated the expansion by acquiring the metal fabrication firm SMT in 2022.
Derrick Evatt
The president of the newly formed Rise Power Systems subsidiary.
Christopher Belcastro
The chief technology officer of Rise Power Systems who oversees the new design and engineering team.
SMT
A metal fabrication business with 100 employees that serves as the manufacturing foundation for the new power systems unit.
The details
Rise Power Systems functions as a spin-out from SMT, a metal fabrication business acquired by Harry Smith in 2022. The new unit utilizes that existing manufacturing capacity alongside a newly hired design and engineering team to develop infrastructure equipment. The parent organization also maintains ownership of other electrical entities including Pitt Electric, Oak Ridge Electric, and Fortune Electric.
Timeline
Harry Smith acquired the metal fabrication business SMT in 2022.
Rise Power Systems launched its operations in October 2026.
The company expects to increase staffing to 50 employees within the next year.
Rise Companies plans to create hundreds of jobs over the next few years.
The Tech Race
This development follows the trend of vertical integration among firms racing to capture the expanding market for AI-ready data center power infrastructure. The company aims to compete by consolidating manufacturing, design, and existing electrical expertise under a single corporate umbrella.
The expansion will prioritize job growth in Raleigh and Washington, targeting hundreds of new engineering and manufacturing roles over the next few years. Clients in the data center industry can expect this new supply of power distribution equipment to be available as the firm scales.
The takeaway
The move signals that the demand for physical power distribution hardware is currently outpacing supply for North Carolina-based data center projects. Watch the company's hiring trajectory over the next 12 months as a primary indicator of their production ramp-up speed.
What happens next
The firm is scheduled to grow its workforce from 15 to 50 employees over the course of the next year, with further scaling of hundreds of jobs projected over the next few years.
Further reading
For broader trends in power infrastructure, explore the Data Centers section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Business North Carolina.
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