Data Centre Business News and Industry Trends

Stellanor acquires Hemel Hempstead data centre

UK data centre operator Stellanor has expanded its UK data centre platform to 11 facilities following the acquisition of an AI-ready site in Hemel Hempstead from UK semiconductor company Imagination Technologies. The deal, structured as a sale-and-service-back arrangement, will see Imagination Technologies continue operating from the facility as a managed client. Backed by German asset management company DWS, Stellanor says the acquisition brings its secured grid capacity to 39MVA and marks rapid growth from two to 11 facilities within six months. Michael Tobin, Chairman of the Board at Stellanor, comments, "This acquisition demonstrates the quality of infrastructure and tenants we’re attracting. Imagination Technologies is exactly the type of blue-chip technology company we are looking to serve: enterprises with demanding digital infrastructure requirements, from AI and high-performance computing to core enterprise applications and business-critical workloads. “Their decision to continue operating from this facility as a Stellanor client reiterates our strategy to combine investment in growth and improvement of facilities with operational excellence to serve organisations where they actually operate. "We're building a differentiated platform in the UK market with the scale and capability to deliver AI-ready infrastructure around the corner from our clients' operations. “While AI is a fast-growing driver, the majority of enterprise demand continues to come from organisations seeking resilience [and] well-connected infrastructure close to their operations.” Responding to demand for urban, AI-ready infrastructure The Hemel Hempstead site adds to Stellanor’s growing portfolio of urban data centres, supporting demand for infrastructure that combines proximity, resilience, and scalability. Markus Mosen, CEO of Imagination Technologies, explains, “As a global semiconductor IP company, our focus is on delivering high-performance, power-efficient GPU and AI technologies that enable our partners to build next-generation products. “At the same time, maintaining operational resilience across our infrastructure is critical to supporting continuous innovation. Our partnership with Stellanor strengthens this foundation, ensuring we have the robust, scalable environments needed to support our teams while enabling us to remain agile and focused on advancing our core technologies.” Aparna Narain, Partner at DWS, adds, "This acquisition sits at the intersection of two powerful trends: evolving AI growth and enduring demand for urban proximity. It adds proven infrastructure serving a blue-chip technology tenant to Stellanor. “We're creating a differentiated category in the UK market, combining urban focus with the scale and financial capability to deliver high-performance, AI-ready infrastructure that supports the full range of enterprise requirements - from core IT to evolving digital and cloud workloads.” Stellanor’s platform now spans locations including London, Reading, Cambridge, Woking, Gatwick, West Yorkshire, and Hemel Hempstead. The company launched in September 2025 with two London facilities acquired from Colt Technology Services and is progressing a further expansion through the acquisition of eight UK data centres from Redcentric (expected to close in the coming months). For more from Stellanor, click here.

Legrand acquires TES in data centre push

Legrand, a French multinational infrastructure products manufacturer, has acquired TES - including TES Power, a provider of power distribution equipment and modular electrical rooms for data centres - as part of its ongoing expansion in the data centre sector. The deal forms part of Legrand’s wider acquisition strategy, which also includes the purchase of Chinese rack manufacturer Keydak. The company says the latest transactions are intended to strengthen its position in data centre infrastructure, particularly in compute environments and critical power systems. TES, headquartered in Cookstown, Northern Ireland, employs around 300 people and reports annual revenue of £72 million. The business supplies power distribution equipment to the European data centre market, as well as the UK and Irish utility sectors. In recent years, TES has expanded its manufacturing capacity, including the opening of a 300,000ft² (27,870m²) facility in County Derry. The site supports production of low-voltage power distribution equipment for data centre and infrastructure projects. An acquisition supporting data centre growth plans Legrand states that TES generates a significant proportion of its revenue from data centres, aligning with its focus on digital infrastructure. This acquisition of TES, alongside Keydak, adds an estimated €285 million (£248.8 million) in combined annual revenue. Benoît Coquart, Chief Executive Officer at Legrand, says, “These two new transactions strengthen our position in the data centre market, both in compute infrastructure (around the chip) and in critical power. "With these announcements, a total of four acquisitions have been announced this year, all in data centres, which accounted for 26% of our revenue at the end of 2025.” TES says it will continue to operate from its existing sites in Cookstown and County Derry, maintaining its current workforce and manufacturing operations. Brian Taylor, CEO of TES, notes, “Joining Legrand is a landmark moment for TES. Over the past number of years, we have scaled our operations at an incredible pace, and this acquisition is a testament to the hard work and expertise of our entire team. "Legrand’s global reach and market-leading position in the electrical sector provide the perfect platform for TES to further expand our international presence.” Noel McCracken, Managing Director of TES, adds, “Our mission has always been to provide innovative, high-quality engineering for critical infrastructure. "With the support of Legrand, we can accelerate our investment in state-of-the-art manufacturing and continue to lead the way in both the water and power critical infrastructure markets.”

North East Data Centre Hub expands with second event

The North East Data Centre Hub, a not-for-profit forum designed to help shape and propel the future of the data centre sector in the North East of England, will host its second industry event on 23 April 2026 in Newcastle, following its launch earlier this year. The initiative brings together professionals from across the data centre sector, with the upcoming event featuring guest speaker Jimmy Mack, Director of Development at QTS Data Centers. The first event, held in February, attracted more than 100 attendees from across the supply chain, reflecting demand for a regional forum focused on engineering, construction, and digital infrastructure. Building on that response, the second event will take place at Revolución de Cuba in Newcastle, with increased capacity to accommodate further interest. The Hub plans to hold events approximately every two months across the region. The North East Data Centre Hub was established by founding partners RED Engineering Design, Cleveland Cable Company, CMP Products, Durata, Daikin Applied (UK), and RWO Associates. The group says it aims to support regional supply chains and contribute to data centre developments in the UK and internationally. Industry event to focus on collaboration A guest presentation from Jimmy Mack will form part of the April event, with a focus on digital infrastructure development and the role of regional supply chains. As demand for data centre capacity grows, driven by artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and wider digital adoption, collaboration across the supply chain is becoming increasingly important. The North East, the Hub notes, has existing engineering capability, infrastructure, and energy resources that support this activity. A spokesperson for the North East Data Centre Hub says, “The response to our launch event showed just how much appetite there is for a dedicated data centre forum in the North East. Bringing together over 100 professionals from across the sector was a clear indication of the region’s strength and potential. We’re delighted to welcome Jimmy Mack from QTS Data Centers as guest speaker for our second event. His insight will add an important global perspective to the conversation, helping to connect regional capability with the wider data centre market. This event is about continuing to build momentum, creating opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and long-term growth across the North East.” The event will combine networking with industry discussion, with future sessions expected to include guest speakers, technical content, and themed discussions aligned with sector priorities. For more from the North East Data Centre Hub, click here.

ING, UniCredit finance Retelit data centres

ING, a Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation, and UniCredit, an Italian multinational banking group operating across Europe, have structured a €375 million (£324.7 million) project financing agreement for Retelit Datacentre, the data centre arm of the Italian telecommunications and ICT operator, supporting the expansion of its data centre footprint in Italy. The funding will be used to develop three new data centres in Milan and Rome, increasing Retelit’s total capacity from 18 MW to 45 MW. The expansion is intended to strengthen Italy’s position as a connectivity hub in Southern Europe. Retelit Datacentre operates an interconnection platform across 38 sites, including the Avalon Campus in Milan, serving telecoms providers, enterprises, public sector organisations, and global technology companies. ING and UniCredit acted as structuring banks, debt advisors, global coordinators, and bookrunners for the transaction, with ING Italia also serving as facility agent. Expansion targets growing interconnection demand The additional capacity reflects increasing demand for data centre interconnection across distributed infrastructure, particularly as organisations expand digital services and cloud deployments. Andrea Diamanti, CEO and Head of Wholesale Banking at ING Italy, says, "This deal reflects the strength of [ING's] Wholesale Banking division in Italy and the value of our global network, with ING's Italian and Dutch teams collaborating closely to bring it to completion." Sicco Boomsma, Global Head Digital Infrastructure Advisory at ING Bank, adds, “This is a very relevant transaction for the Italian DC market, allowing enterprises, carriers, and cloud service providers to optimise their DC communications function across a network of distributed DC infrastructure in Italy. "It was an absolute honour to support the company in this transaction during a phase of transition in the group, where they carved out the DC platform from the carrier-based business.” Retelit states that its data centres are powered entirely by renewable energy and operate with power usage effectiveness (PUE) levels below typical market benchmarks. ING reports it has now completed more than 200 data centre financing transactions globally, including projects involving Equinix, Atlas Edge, and Ark Data Centres.

ABB extends VoltaGrid data centre power deal

ABB, a multinational corporation specialising in industrial automation and electrification products, has secured additional orders from VoltaGrid, a Texas-based microgrid power generation company, to support data centre power infrastructure projects, linked to growing demand from AI workloads. The agreement was signed on 25 March 2026 at CERAWeek in Houston, USA, extending the companies’ existing collaboration. The orders are expected to be recorded in the second quarter of 2026. Financial terms were not disclosed. Under the agreement, ABB will supply 35 synchronous condensers with flywheel technology, alongside prefabricated eHouse units. These systems are used to support voltage stability in power networks, particularly for high-density data centre environments. The equipment will form part of VoltaGrid’s behind-the-meter power infrastructure, designed to provide stable and rapidly deployable energy for large-scale data centre operations. Supporting power stability for AI workloads Synchronous condensers help stabilise electricity networks by providing inertia, supporting short-circuit events, and managing reactive power. ABB’s scope also includes medium- and low-voltage distribution systems, as well as excitation systems intended to maintain reliability and uptime. Nathan Ough, CEO of VoltaGrid, says, “VoltaGrid’s power platform is purpose built to deliver large-scale power with exceptional dynamic performance and reliability for next-generation digital infrastructure. “By integrating ABB’s advanced grid stabilisation technologies with our AI-optimised power systems, we are able to meet increasingly stringent transient performance requirements while accelerating deployment at gigawatt scale.” Per Erik Holsten, President of ABB’s Energy Industries division, adds, “Extending our collaboration with VoltaGrid demonstrates the strength of ABB’s businesses working together combining automation, electrification, and motion expertise and technologies with innovative distributed power systems to create greater value for customers. “Together, we are enabling reliable, resilient, and scalable power infrastructure for data centres serving the rapidly growing AI economy.” Data centres accounted for around 1.5% of global electricity consumption in 2024, with the United States representing approximately 45% of that total. For more from ABB, click here.

Vertiv to acquire ThermoKey

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, has announced an agreement to acquire ThermoKey, as part of its ongoing focus on data centre cooling technologies. The acquisition is expected to expand Vertiv’s thermal management portfolio and manufacturing capabilities, particularly across EMEA. It also aims to strengthen the company’s ability to support high-density data centres and AI workloads, where cooling performance and efficiency are increasingly important. ThermoKey develops heat rejection and heat exchange technologies, with established relationships across original equipment manufacturers and system integrators. Its range includes dry coolers and microchannel-based systems designed for data centre and industrial applications. Giordano Albertazzi, CEO at Vertiv, notes, “Heat rejection is becoming increasingly critical for data centres and AI factories as the industry seeks new ways to unlock capacity, improve energy efficiency, and scale with confidence. “Through our work with ThermoKey, we have come to value its differentiated heat-exchange technologies, engineering depth, and relationships across OEMs and system integrators. "This acquisition is expected to expand the options available to our customers as they adopt more efficient cooling strategies and build infrastructure designed to stay ahead of rapidly evolving compute demands.” Founded in 1991 and based in Italy, ThermoKey has more than three decades of experience in designing and manufacturing heat exchangers for data centre cooling and other applications. Expanding thermal capabilities for AI data centres The company’s portfolio includes heat exchangers, dry coolers, air cooled condensers, and liquid cooling systems. Its technologies are compatible with low global warming potential (GWP) and natural refrigerants, aligning with wider industry efforts to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact. ThermoKey’s engineering and production capabilities are expected to complement Vertiv’s existing thermal portfolio, while also increasing manufacturing flexibility and available capacity. This is intended to help meet rising demand for cooling infrastructure in high-density computing environments. For data centre operators, the acquisition is expected to support more integrated thermal system design, allowing coordination between liquid cooling, air cooling, and heat rejection technologies. This approach can help optimise performance based on site conditions, efficiency targets, and future expansion requirements. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions, with completion anticipated in the second quarter of 2026. For more from Vertiv, click here.

Pure DC appoints new CCO and CFO

Pure Data Centres Group (Pure DC), a designer, developer, and operator of hyperscale data centres, has appointed Jeff Harrison as Chief Commercial Officer and Michael Schwartz as Chief Financial Officer, expanding its leadership team to support reported growth across Europe and the Middle East. The appointments follow the recent hiring of Gary Wojtaszek as Executive Chairman and Interim CEO. All three previously worked at CyrusOne, where they were involved in the company’s shift towards hyperscale cloud infrastructure. Pure DC is targeting increased demand for AI infrastructure, with plans to expand capacity in established European markets and develop larger-scale sites to support high-density compute. Expansion plans across Europe and Middle East markets Jeff Harrison joins from Stack Infrastructure, where he led North American sales, while Michael Schwartz previously held a finance leadership role at CyrusOne, overseeing planning and capital management during a period of expansion. Both executives are expected to relocate to London in spring 2026. Gary Wojtaszek says, “Jeff and Mike are joining an experienced leadership team with a strong track record in delivering infrastructure for hyperscale customers. Jeff played a key role in developing hyperscale sales at CyrusOne. Mike brings financial discipline to support platform growth.” Jeff Harrison comments, “Europe is expected to see increased demand linked to AI infrastructure. Pure DC has the leadership and development capability to expand across both urban cloud markets and larger-scale campuses.” Michael Schwartz adds, “The opportunity to scale a hyperscale platform across Europe and the Middle East while maintaining financial discipline is a key focus.” Pure DC currently has more than 1 GW of capacity live or under development and is evaluating additional large-scale campus opportunities across Europe. For more from Pure DC, click here.

Antin acquires NorthC

Antin Infrastructure Partners, a private equity firm specialising in infrastructure investments, has completed its acquisition of NorthC Datacenters, a data centre operator in Northwest Europe, from DWS and other minority shareholders. Headquartered in Amsterdam, NorthC operates 25 data centres across The Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland, with more than 140 MW of secured gross grid capacity across existing and upcoming greenfield sites. The company plans to expand into new regions and begin construction of facilities in Frankfurt, Basel, and Geneva this year. Continuing regional expansion Alexandra Schless (pictured above), CEO of NorthC Datacenters, comments, “The finalisation of this acquisition marks a key milestone in the NorthC journey. "Now, with Antin Infrastructure Partners officially on board, we have gained a new strategic partner whose deep expertise in digital infrastructure perfectly aligns with our regional leadership and expansion goals. "We are ready to accelerate our growth across the Benelux and DACH regions, leveraging our 140 MW of secured capacity to meet the surging demand for AI inference workloads and enterprise digital transformation. "Our focus remains on delivering high-quality, regional colocation solutions with the scale and backing of a global infrastructure leader.” Stéphane Ifker and Maximilian Lindner, Managing Partner and Partner (respectively) at Antin Infrastructure Partners, add, “We are delighted to be working with NorthC as we jointly embark on the company’s next growth phase. "This closing signifies the start of an ambitious new chapter. We are fully committed to supporting Alexandra and her management team as they expand their footprint, modernise their facilities, and continue to serve as the backbone for Europe's most critical digital infrastructure sectors.” For more from NorthC, click here.

Siemens, Rittal partner on data centre power

German multinational technology company Siemens and Rittal, a German manufacturer of industrial enclosures, IT racks, and climate control systems, have formed a partnership to develop power distribution infrastructure for data centres, targeting increasing demands from AI workloads. The collaboration focuses on standardised systems designed to support higher rack power densities, improve deployment speed, and streamline data centre construction. Power demands in AI environments are continuing to rise, with rack densities already exceeding 100 kW and expected to increase further over the coming years. The companies aim to address these requirements through updated approaches to power distribution, cooling, and heat management. Focus on scalable power infrastructure One of the first developments from the partnership is a sidecar power system, installed within the white space of a data centre. The system uses a dedicated power rack to supply server racks, supporting a modular and scalable approach to power delivery. The design aligns with Open Compute Project standards and is intended to simplify deployment while maintaining operational reliability. “To enable the rapid growth of AI, we need smart, reliable, and scalable power supply solutions for data centres and we need them quickly,” comments Andreas Matthé, CEO Electrical Products at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. Further joint work includes the development of standardised low-voltage distribution systems for modular and containerised data centres, alongside measures aimed at improving operational and personnel safety. The partnership builds on existing collaboration between Siemens and the Friedhelm Loh Group, Rittal’s parent company, and is expected to expand into additional applications beyond data centres. For more from Siemens, click here.

Nscale, Microsoft partner on large-scale campus in West Virginia

Nscale, a UK developer of AI data centres and cloud infrastructure, has signed a letter of intent with Microsoft to deliver 1.35GW of AI compute capacity at the Monarch AI campus in West Virginia, in collaboration with NVIDIA and Caterpillar. The development will deploy NVIDIA’s next-generation Vera Rubin NVL72 GPU systems, based on the NVIDIA DSX AI Factory reference design, with the undertaking expected to begin in phases from late 2027. In addition to this news, Nscale has also announced the acquisition of American Intelligence & Power Corporation (AIPCorp), which includes the Monarch Compute Campus in Mason County. The site spans up to 2,250 acres (9.1 km²) and is designed as a state-certified AI microgrid, with the potential to scale beyond 8GW of power capacity. Hyperscale AI infrastructure and power integration Under the agreement, Nscale will construct and operate the data centre infrastructure, with Microsoft supporting long-term compute services and lease arrangements. The campus is intended to support large-scale AI training and inference workloads, with high-speed connectivity to major US data centre hubs, including Ashburn and Chicago. As part of the project, Caterpillar will supply G3500 series natural gas generator sets, with plans to deliver up to 2GW of on-site power generation by the first half of 2028. The microgrid design enables the facility to operate independently of the local grid, while also allowing for potential future grid integration. The development reflects increasing demand for AI-driven data centre capacity, with industry forecasts indicating significant growth in global power requirements over the coming years. The Monarch campus is expected to build on Nscale’s existing capacity and support expansion of large-scale AI infrastructure in the US. For more from Nscale, click here.