Liebert Financing

Liebert is the legacy brand behind some of the most installed data center power protection and cooling equipment in North America. Now operating under the Vertiv umbrella, the Liebert name still appears on product nameplates and in engineers' specifications with the kind of shorthand recognition that comes from decades of installations across every tier of the data center market. When an operator says they need to finance a Liebert system, the equipment profile is usually well-defined: mission-critical, capital-intensive, and critical to uptime.

The Liebert product portfolio that appears most often in financing requests includes the NPS UPS series for large three-phase applications, the EXL S1 modular UPS for scalable capacity deployments, the PDX precision cooling units, and the XDU liquid cooling distribution units for high-density architectures that air cooling cannot adequately serve. Each of these product lines represents a substantial capital commitment, particularly at the scale of a new build or a major capacity expansion.

We finance Liebert equipment as standalone purchases, as part of bundled power and cooling packages, and as the subject of sale-leaseback transactions for equipment already in operation. A single UPS system purchase, a combined Liebert UPS and CRAC cooling package, or a liquid cooling infrastructure deployment including liquid cooling distribution units can all be structured as equipment financing transactions. Minimum transaction is $50,000; most Liebert UPS and cooling transactions fall well above that floor.

The Liebert NPS (Network Power Systems) UPS is a three-phase double-conversion topology unit that has been specified in data center applications for many years. The product line covers a range of kVA ratings appropriate for small machine rooms up to large facility power trains. The NPS's longevity in the market means there is a well-established secondary market for used units, and replacement parts and service expertise are widely available, which are both factors that support asset value for financing purposes.

The Liebert EXL S1 represents the current generation of large modular UPS from Vertiv. It uses an intelligent modular architecture where power modules within the same frame can be added, replaced, or serviced without taking the entire system offline. For operators managing uptime obligations, the ability to service the UPS under load is not a luxury, it is an operational requirement. The EXL S1's efficiency numbers also qualify for utility rebates in many markets, which can partially offset the capital cost when the project qualifies.

The Liebert XDU (now branded as the Liebert Liquid Cooling Distribution Unit) is a fluid management unit that takes chilled water from a building system and distributes it to rear-door heat exchangers, direct liquid cooling manifolds, or immersion cooling tanks. As server power density increases, the XDU and related liquid cooling components are becoming standard budget line items for new builds rather than optional add-ons. Financing these components alongside the broader infrastructure package is straightforward when they are part of a defined capital project.

For Liebert transactions under approximately $400,000, application-only financing limits documentation to a credit application and basic business information. Many single Liebert UPS or precision cooling unit purchases fall in this range. Above $400,000, three months of business bank statements is the next documentation tier, and complex or high-dollar transactions may also require entity financials.

Available structures include:

• Fixed-rate equipment loans over 24 to 84 months
• Fair market value leases that return the equipment at end of term (good when technology refresh is the goal)
• Dollar-buyout leases that transfer ownership for $1 at term end (good when long-term ownership is the plan)
• Sale-leaseback for Liebert equipment already installed and operational
• Equipment refinancing to restructure existing Liebert equipment obligations

Funding typically runs one to two weeks from completed application to payment reaching the vendor. For orders with production or lead time requirements, earlier financing initiation is better, since approval can be in hand before the purchase order is placed.

The secondary market for Liebert equipment is one of the more active in the data center industry, driven partly by the large installed base of Liebert NPS UPS systems that are reaching end of primary service life as facilities refresh. A refurbished Liebert NPS with replaced batteries, reconditioned power modules, and a service warranty can represent significant savings compared to a new unit of equivalent capacity, and for applications where standby or secondary power protection (rather than primary UPS) is the use case, a certified used Liebert unit is often the economically sound choice.

We finance used and refurbished Liebert equipment when the seller provides appropriate documentation: inspection reports, battery test results, and a condition certification. Lenders typically require more documentation for used equipment than for new, but the underwriting threshold is not prohibitive for well-documented units from reputable refurbishers.

New Liebert equipment from an authorized Vertiv distribution channel typically carries the clearest documentation path and the best terms on financing, particularly for large EXL S1 or liquid cooling deployments where the vendor invoice and system specs are cleanly defined. For operators who need a warranty period during commissioning and initial operations, new equipment is the appropriate choice regardless of the financing structure.

Data center power and cooling infrastructure rarely comes from a single manufacturer. Liebert equipment often operates in the same facility as generators from Caterpillar or Cummins, switchgear from Eaton or Schneider Electric, and cooling from Stulz or other thermal manufacturers. Bundling Liebert equipment with non-Liebert components into a single financing package is possible and often cleaner than managing separate financing for each vendor's portion of a buildout.

Send us the model numbers, the dollar amount, the vendor, and your timeline. We will respond with structured options within one business day.

Liebert is now a Vertiv brand. Does it matter which name is on the invoice?

From a financing standpoint, it does not matter whether the invoice says Liebert or Vertiv. The underlying equipment is the same, and underwriters evaluate the asset on its characteristics, not the brand name variant on the paperwork.

We have a Liebert NPS that still works fine. Can we do a sale-leaseback to free some cash?

Yes. Sale-leaseback on a Liebert NPS in good working condition is available. The key factors are current market value and remaining useful life. If the unit is well-maintained and has several more years of reliable service ahead, a leaseback can release meaningful capital while keeping the system running.

Our Liebert PDX units need to be replaced with higher-capacity cooling. Can we finance the new units and pay off the old ones?

Yes. A combined transaction that finances new Liebert cooling while paying off or trading out the old equipment is workable. The new unit financing can also include the cost of the installation if it is included on the same invoice or close-to.

Is a single Liebert XDU liquid cooling unit large enough to be worth financing?

The XDU units range in size and cost. Depending on the configuration, a single XDU may fall above the $50,000 minimum and be worth financing, particularly when combined with associated manifolds, hoses, and installation on the same project. Bundling related components usually makes more sense than financing each piece individually.