News & Insights
Datacloud 2025 – How Mercury is Advancing Digital Infrastructure Delivery
The Mercury team was back in Cannes this month for Datacloud Global Congress 2025, one of the most important gatherings on the digital infrastructure calendar. As Europe’s leading data centre construction provider, we joined clients, partners and industry leaders to talk about the realities of Europe’s accelerating data economy.
With AI driving unprecedented demand, the focus was on power availability, sustainability, grid access and how quickly the industry can deliver the capacity that’s now needed.
This landmark event gave us a timely platform to lead conversations on the direction of the sector. With our Go Beyond strategy newly launched, it was an opportunity to share our delivery vision for the years ahead.
Meeting Demand with Regional Scale and Supply Chain Control
This year’s Datacloud saw an estimated 30 percent increase in attendance, with a broader range of stakeholders in the room. Alongside developers and operators, there was a noticeable presence from institutional investors and asset managers. The scale of demand, and the capital behind it, continues to rise.
Expectations around delivery have shifted. Projects are being procured faster. Design and permitting phases are overlapping. Multinational clients are looking for partners who can mobilise quickly across countries, without losing consistency.
We are strengthening our supply chain to support regional delivery across Europe. As set out in our Go Beyond strategy, we are increasing our footprint in key data centre geographies and focusing on making Mercury easier to work with for our supply chain partners.
This includes streamlining processes, improving visibility of risk and workload, and supporting delivery with consistent systems across our programmes.
The priority is no longer speed alone. Reliable, scalable delivery across complex builds is core focus of Go Beyond, and it reflects the wider direction of the market.
OSM Investment Anchors Mercury’s Delivery Strategy
At Datacloud, structured delivery was one of the most urgent topics on the agenda. As project complexity grows, clients are prioritising earlier sequencing, reduced site congestion and more reliable outcomes.
Mercury’s investment in off-site manufacturing responds directly to that demand. Our new 25,000 square metre facility in Schönebeck will serve as the central modular hub for mainland Europe, producing prefabricated plant systems and high-spec assemblies for large-scale data centre, life sciences and semiconductor projects.
Operations begin later this year. Dedicated engineering, fabrication and logistics teams are already in place. The facility adds capacity, improves standardisation and enables earlier mobilisation across regional programmes.
“This is what sets us apart. We are not just building projects. We are integrating the systems that make them deliverable.”
— Alan Clinton, Data Centres, Group Head of Operations.
This is a core part of how we’re delivering on Go Beyond: strengthening our ability to deliver at pace and scale with consistent results across geographies.
Technology’s Crucial Role in Reliable Delivery
Digital systems are playing a bigger role in how programmes are planned, monitored and delivered. Speaking with clients at the event, many highlighted the impact of AI-driven demand on programme timelines and technical complexity, and the need for better structure from the outset.
Mercury’s Commissioning Digital Environment is now active across all European data centre projects. Built on Autodesk and integrated with Power BI, it tracks planned and actual milestones, flags issues in real time, and supports structured reporting on technical readiness. The system aligns asset-level data across disciplines, enabling teams to coordinate earlier and avoid downstream delays.
This approach strengthens control before construction begins. By improving coordination during planning and procurement, teams reduce risk, accelerate handover, and carry lessons from one programme into the next.
As timelines tighten, this level of delivery oversight is becoming a baseline expectation. Mercury’s investment in upfront tools is part of a wider strategy to improve predictability, reduce rework and ensure consistent outcomes across regions
Aligning Delivery with Climate Goals: Our Planet, Our Duty
Sustainability was a key thread at this year’s Datacloud, with growing focus on how climate goals are being integrated into delivery decisions. For many clients in Europe, regulation is now driving change across early-stage planning and procurement.
Speaking on a sustainability panel at Datacloud, Mercury’s Group Sustainability Director, Jeremy Turk noted that while many companies are still in transition, sustainability is beginning to shape decisions earlier in the project lifecycle. “We’re past the tickbox, but it’s not yet fully embedded into delivery,” he said, pointing to regulation like CSRD as a key force behind that shift.
As sustainability data becomes more standardised, organisations will need to reflect carbon performance in how they plan and procure. “Product availability and the green premium are two of the biggest challenges,” he added, especially when timelines and costs come under pressure.
Mercury continues to work closely with clients and partners to understand how these expectations influence practical delivery and how we can respond through early guidance, transparency and stronger planning.
A Trusted Partner leading the future of digital Infrastructure
Datacloud made clear that expectations are shifting. Clients need partners who can move at pace, operate across regions, and bring structure to every stage of delivery.
Mercury’s model is built for that. As Europe’s leading data centre delivery partner, we combine regional strength with proven systems and best-in-class tools. Our agility continues to set us apart as we lead the next phase of digital infrastructure delivery.
ABOUT MERCURY
Mercury is the European leader in construction solutions. We build and manage complex engineering & construction projects for the world’s leading corporations. Our solutions help deliver technologies that connect people, communities, and businesses, giving them the power to achieve incredible things. Our people have the courage to be innovative. Their determination and sharp focus enable us to deliver with certainty, time and time again.
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