Data Centre Business News and Industry Trends

Mitie acquires Nordic data centre security firms

Mitie, a UK facilities management and professional services company, has acquired two fire and security businesses in Denmark and Norway to expand its data centre capabilities across the Nordics. The company has purchased El Team Vest and ABC Elektro for a combined initial cash consideration of £8.1 million, with additional deferred payments linked to performance. The acquisitions are intended to strengthen Mitie’s project delivery and maintenance capabilities in the European data centre fire and security systems market. The group is already active in the sector, supporting clients including Microsoft, Google, and Equinix. El Team Vest, based in Horsens, Denmark, has around 20 years’ experience in electrical design, installation, and maintenance. Its work includes data and fibre networks, fire and security systems, building management systems, and high-voltage electrical connections. Recent projects include electrical retrofit work for Velux, as well as contracting for the headquarters of ABB Group and DSV Logistics. ABC Elektro, based in Horten, Norway, provides fire and security services alongside electrical capabilities such as data connections and building management system installations. The company primarily serves commercial and construction customers in the Oslo region. Nordic expansion driven by data centre growth Demand for data centre capacity continues to grow, driven in part by increased use of AI and machine learning technologies. The Nordic region has become a key location for new developments, supported by renewable energy availability, grid capacity, and cooler operating conditions. Mitie already operates in the Nordic data centre market through its fire and security business, GBE Converge, acquired in 2023. The addition of El Team Vest and ABC Elektro is expected to strengthen its regional presence, with a combined workforce of around 100 employees. El Team Vest will operate as a regional centre of expertise, providing technical and operational support across Mitie’s Nordic activities. For the 12 months to 31 December 2025, El Team Vest reported revenue of £16.6 million and EBITDA of £3.2 million. ABC Elektro reported revenue of £2.7 million over the same period, with break-even EBITDA following investment. Jason Buttle, Managing Director - Fire & Security Projects at Mitie, comments, “The acquisitions of El Team Vest and ABC Elektro strengthen our ability to deliver complex fire, security, and electrical solutions across the Nordics, one of Europe’s most important and fast-growing data centre hubs. "With Mitie’s financial backing and [its] deep technical expertise, strong local reputations, and track records supporting major commercial and technology clients, we expect these businesses to scale up our data centre offering. "We look forward to welcoming their highly skilled colleagues to Mitie as we support our hyperscale and colocation customers in meeting the rapidly increasing demand for data centre capacity.”

LS Electric wins $115m data centre contract

LS Electric, a South Korean manufacturer of electrical equipment and automation systems, has secured a $115 million (£84.9 million) contract to supply power infrastructure for a series of data centre developments across North America. The projects will support major technology companies expanding capacity for artificial intelligence and other compute-intensive applications, where consistent and high-quality power is required. Under the agreement, LS Electric will deliver switchgear and distribution transformers designed for continuous operation in high-demand environments. Expanding North American manufacturing footprint The deal comes at a time as data centre operators are increasing focus on power systems that offer reliability, adaptability, and long-term support as facilities scale to meet rising workloads. Large-scale developments of this kind also require suppliers able to meet strict technical standards while maintaining consistent delivery across manufacturing, logistics, and on-site coordination. LS Electric says it will support the projects from design through to commissioning. To fulfil the contract, LS Electric will utilise its growing industrial presence in North America, including operations in Utah and Texas, such as MCM Engineering II and its Bastrop campus. These facilities will support production and system integration, as well as ongoing regional expansion in engineered power infrastructure. LS Electric states it will continue to expand its offering for the sector, focusing on technologies that support reliable and energy-efficient data centre performance. For more from LS Electric, click here.

Mission Critical Group invests in WattEV

Mission Critical Group (MCG), a critical power infrastructure company, has announced a strategic investment in WattEV to support the development of 800V DC power infrastructure for AI data centres. The partnership focuses on advancing power delivery systems designed to meet the increasing demands of high-density AI workloads, including generative AI and inference applications. As part of the agreement, Mission Critical Group will support the industrialisation and deployment of a medium-voltage solid-state transformer (SST) platform. This technology is intended to enable the transition to 800V DC architectures within large-scale data centre environments. The companies state that traditional AC-based power systems are facing limitations as AI workloads scale, driving interest in alternative approaches to power distribution. The proposed 800V DC architecture enables direct conversion from medium-voltage AC, with the aim of improving efficiency and reducing system complexity. The modular design is intended to support flexible deployment, faster installation, and easier expansion. High-density power delivery Jeff Drees, CEO of Mission Critical Group, says, “We are building the next evolution in modular power delivery. The investment in WattEV highlights our commitment to advancing solutions for ultra-high-density AI workloads, including generative AI and inference.” Michael Maiello, SVP of Innovation at Mission Critical Group, adds, “We are moving beyond incremental improvements to a fundamentally different power architecture. "By converting the ultra-high-power demands of AI directly from medium-voltage AC to 800 VDC, we unlock the full efficiency and performance benefits of 800 VDC distribution.” Salim Youssefzadeh, CEO of WattEV, concludes, “Our technology is already proven in high-power, real-world applications where efficiency and reliability are critical. Together with MCG, we’re bringing that performance into the data centre to accelerate the adoption of 800 VDC architectures with confidence and speed.” The companies state that the collaboration aims to support the deployment of scalable power infrastructure for next-generation AI data centres. For more from Mission Critical Group, click here.

Rebellions, SKT, Arm partner on AI infrastructure

Rebellions, a South Korean semiconductor company, has announced a collaboration with South Korean telecommunications company SK Telecom (SKT) and British semiconductor and software design company Arm to develop AI inference infrastructure for sovereign AI and telecom-focused data centres. The partnership will focus on building an AI server combining an Arm-designed data centre CPU with Rebellions’s AI accelerators. The system will be tested within SK Telecom’s data centre environment before potential wider deployment. The initiative is intended to address growing demand for AI inference infrastructure, particularly in sectors requiring data sovereignty and telecom-specific processing capabilities. The planned platform will integrate Arm’s AGI CPU, based on the Neoverse CSS V3 architecture, with Rebellions’ RebelCard accelerator. The companies will also work together on the supporting software stack, including firmware, to ensure compatibility and performance. Development and validation of the AI server platform Testing will take place in SK Telecom’s operational data centres, where the infrastructure will be assessed for performance and stability. This includes evaluating its suitability for large-scale data processing and AI models used in telecommunications environments. There are also plans to assess the use of SK Telecom’s A.X K1 foundation model on the platform as part of the validation process. Following testing, the companies will consider broader deployment opportunities, with a focus on telecom operators and public sector organisations that require independent AI infrastructure. Jinwook Oh, CTO of Rebellions, says, “We expect this 'one-team' collaboration of experts to serve as a significant precedent in the industry for building AI-specialised infrastructure.” Jaeshin Lee, Vice President and Head of AI Business Development at SK Telecom, adds, “By providing a full package that combines inference-optimised infrastructure with our proprietary foundation model, A.X K1, we will further strengthen our competitiveness in the AI data centre market.” Eddie Ramirez, Vice President of the Cloud AI Business Unit at Arm, notes, “As AI infrastructure expands globally, CPUs play a critical role in coordinating workloads across accelerators, memory, and networking. "Arm AGI CPU, built on Arm Neoverse CSS V3, was designed to deliver the performance and efficiency required for large-scale AI deployments. Together with Rebellions and SK Telecom, we’re enabling scalable infrastructure for sovereign AI and telecommunications markets.”

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.