Data Center Structured Cabling Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Data Center Structured Cabling Market is projected to expand from USD 5.24 Billion in 2025 to USD 9.41 Billion by 2031, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.25%. This sector comprises the standardized telecommunications infrastructure - including copper and fiber optic cables, connectors, and patch panels - that facilitates essential data transmission within data center facilities. Acting as the physical layer connecting storage units, servers, and network switches, this infrastructure is vital for ensuring system scalability and reliability. The market is primarily driven by the exponential rise in global data traffic and the widespread migration of enterprise workloads to cloud platforms. Furthermore, the rapid adoption of bandwidth-intensive technologies, such as the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, compels operators to upgrade to high-performance infrastructure to manage increased thermal loads and minimize latency.

Despite these growth drivers, the industry encounters a significant challenge due to a shortage of skilled technicians needed for complex installation and testing procedures, a factor that threatens to delay critical project timelines. This workforce constraint creates a bottleneck for deployment speeds even as infrastructure demands surge. According to the Fiber Broadband Association, the expanding requirements of artificial intelligence in 2025 are projected to necessitate a doubling of fiber network miles by 2029 to support the anticipated tripling of data center capacity.

Market Drivers

The rapid expansion of hyperscale data center infrastructure, spurred by the explosive growth of generative artificial intelligence, acts as the primary catalyst for the global structured cabling market. This infrastructure shift forces a quick transition to high-density fiber optic architectures capable of managing immense data throughput and low-latency communication between GPU clusters.

As operators densify their networks, the demand for specialized optical interconnects has risen sharply to support these bandwidth-heavy workloads. For instance, Corning Incorporated reported in its "Third-Quarter 2024 Financial Results" in October 2024 that Optical Communications sales grew 36 percent year-over-year to $1.24 billion, attributing this surge to strong demand for optical connectivity products in generative AI networks. Similarly, Alphabet Inc. reported quarterly capital expenditures reaching $13 billion in 2024, reflecting the capital intensity required to support technical infrastructure, including data centers and servers.

Concurrently, a heightened focus on sustainability and energy-efficient cabling practices is reshaping procurement strategies as operators address escalating power consumption. High-performance computing environments generate substantial heat, requiring structured cabling solutions with improved cable management and smaller outer diameters to minimize airflow obstruction within server racks. This optimization is essential for reducing cooling power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratios in dense facilities. According to the International Energy Agency's "Electricity 2024" report from January 2024, global data center electricity consumption is projected to potentially double from an estimated 460 TWh in 2022 to over 1,000 TWh by 2026. Consequently, market growth is increasingly defined by the deployment of cabling components that ensure connectivity speed while actively contributing to the thermal efficiency and sustainability goals of modern digital infrastructure.

Market Challenges

The scarcity of skilled technicians represents a primary restraint impeding the growth of the global data center structured cabling market. As facility operators migrate toward high-density architectures to support cloud workloads and artificial intelligence, the installation of copper and fiber optic cabling requires increasingly specialized expertise. The lack of qualified personnel capable of executing intricate testing and installation procedures inevitably results in compromised infrastructure quality and significant project delays. When operators are unable to secure sufficient trained technicians, the deployment of necessary bandwidth upgrades stalls, preventing facilities from meeting the surging data transmission demands of modern enterprise environments.

This workforce deficit creates a tangible bottleneck in operational scalability and directly counters the momentum provided by technological advancements. The inability to rapidly deploy verified structured cabling systems restricts the overall capacity growth of data center facilities. The severity of this labor gap is highlighted by recent industry findings regarding operational struggles. According to the Association for Computer Operations Management, in 2025, 85% of data center leaders reported that persistent talent shortages were directly impacting their ability to maintain and expand operations efficiently. This widening gap between labor availability and infrastructure demand remains a substantial impediment to market progression.

Market Trends

The shift toward pre-terminated and modular cabling systems is accelerating as operators prioritize flexibility and rapid deployment to meet tightening construction schedules. In contrast to traditional field-terminated methods, which are labor-intensive and prone to quality inconsistencies, factory-terminated plug-and-play solutions deliver superior performance while significantly reducing installation time. This trend is particularly critical in mitigating the impact of the industry-wide shortage of skilled technical labor, allowing facilities to scale capacity efficiently without compromising reliability. Reflecting this demand for scalable infrastructure, Legrand reported in its "2024 Full-year Results" in February 2025 that its data center business recorded nearly 15% organic sales growth for the year, driven by the robust adoption of its digital transition and modular offerings.

Additionally, the integration of Automated Infrastructure Management (AIM) solutions is becoming essential as network complexity and port density reach unprecedented levels. As data centers densify to support artificial intelligence workloads, manual documentation of physical connectivity becomes error-prone and inefficient, creating a critical need for real-time visibility into the physical layer. AIM systems utilize intelligent software and hardware to automatically track and document cabling infrastructure, thereby enhancing asset utilization, strengthening security, and accelerating troubleshooting processes to minimize costly downtime. According to Belden Inc., in its "Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results" released in February 2025, the company announced that its Smart Infrastructure Solutions segment revenues increased 14% organically year-over-year in the fourth quarter, highlighting the growing investment in intelligent network management technologies.

Key Players Profiled in the Data Center Structured Cabling Market

• Paige Electric Co, LP
• CommScope, Inc.
• NEXANS
• Panduit
• Corning Incorporated
• Belden Inc.
• ABB
• Schneider Electric
• Broadcom
• CXtec Inc.

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Data Center Structured Cabling Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Data Center Structured Cabling Market, by Component:

• Hardware
• Software
• Professional Services

Data Center Structured Cabling Market, by Cable Type:

• Category 5E
• Category 6
• Category 6A
• Category 7
• Others

Data Center Structured Cabling Market, by End User:

• IT and Telecommunication
• Residential and Commercial
• Government and Education
• Transportation
• Industrial
• Others

Data Center Structured Cabling Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Data Center Structured Cabling Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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