Merck KGaA: The Supercomputer for AI and Data Research

Merck KGaA has deployed a new high-performance computing (HPC) platform to advance AI and data-intensive modelling across its diverse research fields.

The new supercomputer, built by Lenovo and housed in an AI-ready Equinix data centre in Germany, is designed to accelerate innovation in Merck KGaA's life science, healthcare and electronics sectors through a combination of liquid cooling and a hybrid cloud framework.

The platform is engineered to handle complex computational tasks, empowering research teams to better utilise AI and advanced analytics.

Laura Matz, Chief Science and Technology Officer at Merck KGaA, says: “At Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, we believe that data and technology are the cornerstones of scientific progress. With this high-performance computer, we are enhancing our computational capabilities and transforming how we conduct research and develop solutions that matter.

“This platform empowers our teams to leverage AI and advanced analytics more effectively, ultimately accelerating the pace of innovation across our sectors.”

HPC's role in AI and research

The launch of the HPC system highlights the critical need for specialised infrastructure capable of supporting AI-scale computation in scientific research. The platform is set up to manage a variety of demanding workloads from generative AI and molecular modelling to research into semiconductor materials.

It achieves this by providing a unified infrastructure that connects multiple research teams. The system integrates private and public cloud resources in a hybrid model.

This allows Merck KGaA to scale its compute capacity for peak demand while maintaining governance over sensitive research data.

Merck KGaA intends to use the HPC platform to speed up drug discovery workflows, shorten development cycles in life science manufacturing and model novel materials for future semiconductor devices.

Liquid-cooled infrastructure for AI workloads

Lenovo provided the core hardware and integrated its Neptune liquid cooling technology to enhance operational efficiency. This system is engineered for sustained high utilisation while aiming to lower the energy consumption associated with compute-heavy research.

The adoption of liquid cooling is increasingly relevant as AI workloads drive up power density at the rack level.

According to Equinix, more than 100 of its global sites are now equipped to support liquid cooling, a reflection of the growing demand for infrastructure that can host large GPU clusters and other high-performance systems.

“At Lenovo, we are committed to enabling the global adoption of innovative and sustainable technologies," explains Andreas Thomasch, Director & Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Germany and Austria at Lenovo.

He adds: “By designing and configuring this solution together, we've demonstrated that organisations can achieve exceptional performance without compromising on sustainability. With Lenovo Neptune Liquid Cooling, even the most demanding workloads will run efficiently while helping Merck drive progress in both science and industry.”

A digital foundation for AI convergence

Equinix provides more than just the physical hosting for the hardware. Its data centres function as hubs for distributed AI infrastructure, enabling organisations to interconnect private systems with public cloud AI services, research partners and data sources.

This digital foundation gives Merck KGaA the ability to run complex simulations and AI models with consistent performance while aligning its operations with its ESG commitments.

For Merck KGaA, deploying its system within an Equinix International Business Exchange data centre provides a colocation environment with established liquid cooling and low-latency connectivity.

Harmeen Mehta, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at Equinix, says: “This partnership embodies what the future of innovation looks like – where digital infrastructure, compute, and science converge to solve humanity's biggest challenges.

“At Equinix, we are proud to power that convergence. Together with Merck and Lenovo, we are proving that when technology scales responsibly, innovation doesn't just accelerate – it can transform industries and redefine what's possible.”