As domestic manufacturing accelerates and AI data centers pop up across the country like gophers, America’s appetite for power is surging, placing unprecedented strain on an aging electrical infrastructure never designed for this level of demand.

Few executives have a clearer vantage point on this collision of growth and constraint than Jeff Drees, CEO of Mission Critical Group—a McKinney, Texas–based company that designs, manufactures, delivers and services electrical system solutions for data centers, industrial facilities, hospitals and other vital industries.

It is this fast-paced expansion that is fueling MCG’s growth, Drees says. During the 2024-2025 fiscal year, MCG expanded its U.S. manufacturing footprint to more than 1 million square feet and increased its team from fewer than 40 to more than 1,000 employees. Additionally, MCG in 2025 was recognized by Inc. Magazine as the 13th fastest-growing manufacturing company in the U.S., logging in 1,123 percent revenue growth over the prior three years.

In the following interview, Drees shares insights into MCG’s manufacturing operations and where the “74-year-old startup” is headed next.

Tell us about MCG.

Mission Critical Group is best described as a 74-year-old startup that has truly come into its own over the past few years. We’ve brought together several well-established companies—DVM Power + Control, JTS and Point Eight Power—under the Mission Critical Group brand, united by one focus: critical power infrastructure.

The combined expertise enables Mission Critical Group to design, manufacture, deliver and service comprehensive power solutions for many industries, including data centers, semiconductors, oil and gas, heavy industrial, healthcare and more.

The rise of AI has only accelerated demand for reliable power, fueling Mission Critical Group’s growth. Many of the industries we serve support AI development or rely on AI themselves, which heightens the need for the advanced power and electrical systems we provide. We have expanded our U.S. manufacturing footprint to more than 1 million square feet of electrical equipment and modular power system production to meet this demand and better serve our customers.

What are your manufacturing operations like?

We operate manufacturing facilities in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Idaho. Our manufacturing portfolio spans the entire mission critical power chain, including design services, transformers, power skids, power modules, generator enclosures and skids, switchboards, switchgear, PDUs, RPPs, bus ducts, paralleling gear, STS units, generators, UPS and batteries, and startup and commissioning.

Beyond manufacturing, we serve as a systems integrator—delivering fully integrated, end-to-end critical power solutions for onsite power generation.

For our manufacturing operations, we use lean manufacturing principles across all our facilities. We have mapped value streams and designed facilities with a linear product flow, visual management and purpose-built tools to reduce waste and eliminate bottlenecks. We also utilize problem-resolution boards in each facility to help teams quickly identify and resolve issues at their source.

You’re one of the country’s fastest-growing manufacturing companies; what is the secret to your success?

The secret to our success comes down to people and the solutions we deliver.

We’ve built Mission Critical Group around a people-centered model where every employee is also an owner. That shared ownership drives accountability, grit and a mindset of continuous improvement across the company. When more than 1,000 employees think and act like business owners, they care deeply about addressing challenges and delivering quality to our customers.

We also don’t just manufacture. We deliver end-to-end solutions, from the design through commissioning and service. This approach ensures we not only understand each customer’s unique needs but also produce dependable solutions that empower them to meet and exceed their critical power demands.

Additionally, we have centered our long-term strategy around U.S.-based manufacturing and American-made solutions. This focus positions us to address the nation’s rapidly growing power needs, ensuring that critical infrastructure organizations get the reliable power and electrical solutions they require, when they need them most.

What’s next for MCG?

I’m very excited about the future of Mission Critical Group. We will continue to expand our operations, providing power and electrical solutions that not only meet today’s acute needs but also shape the future of critical infrastructure industries.