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How Mercury is Shaping the Future of Retrofit Delivery in Live Environments
As Mercury continues to strengthen its position as the European leader in data centre solutions, the company’s specialist Data Centre Retrofit and Fit-Out (DCRF) division is playing an increasingly strategic role in that growth. With over 25 years of experience leading complex construction projects across Europe, Managing Director John Crawford brings deep operational expertise and a clear focus on excellence in delivery.
Under John’s leadership, DCRF is expanding its specialist retrofit and fit-out capability to meet growing client demand in live and operational data centre environments. Our pre-construction capability is ever evolving, guided by a dedicated team committed to delivering the best possible project outcomes. With a strong track record in early-stage planning and collaboration, this service is a cornerstone of our delivery model. This business unit is dedicated to ensuring every project is leading-edge, consistent in delivery, and aligned with Mercury’s long-term goal to grow a specialised DCRF business and become a leader in this space.
John’s journey with Mercury began in 2015 as a Project Manager. His progression through roles including Operations Manager, Business Unit Manager, and most recently Operations Director for DCBS, reflects his deep experience in fast-track, high-value projects. Now, as Managing Director of DCRF, he is leading the division’s growth under Mercury’s five-year strategy, Go Beyond, with a focus on client delivery, operational consistency, and long-term partnerships.
For John, that focus is driven by Mercury’s track record:
With deep sector knowledge and trusted supply chain partnerships, we deliver complex retrofit and fit out works consistently and to schedule. That reliability is what strengthens our long-term relationships with clients.
A Proven Partner in Europe’s Data Centre Evolution
Mercury has been the engine behind the data centre revolution for over two decades, applying leading-edge technologies and exceptional expertise to some of the sector’s most dynamic construction and fit out programmes.
Our DCRF team has earned a strong reputation for delivering retrofit and fit-out projects across Europe’s most demanding data centre environments. From the UK to the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and beyond, Mercury has become a trusted partner to leading hyperscale and colocation clients.
Clients choose Mercury because we understand the stakes. We’ve invested in the right people, the right processes, and the right partnerships. Our teams bring a unique blend of technical expertise and operational sensitivity that’s hard to match.
This partnership-driven approach underpins Mercury’s success in live data centre environments. By combining structured processes with local knowledge and strong supply-chain relationships, Mercury’s DCRF team always deliver for our clients no matter the project.
Delivering Certainty for Clients in Complex Live Environments
As data centre operators look to extend the life and efficiency of existing facilities, retrofit expertise is becoming increasingly important. Mercury’s DCRF division continues to respond to this demand with a strong pipeline of live-environment projects focused on upgrading systems, improving energy performance, and future-proofing legacy infrastructure.
Reflecting on the direction of the market, John notes that client priorities are shifting in line with broader industry goals around efficiency and sustainability.
We’re seeing a shift toward sustainability and modularity. Clients want solutions that are scalable, energy-efficient, and delivered with minimal disruption. That’s where our experience really shines.
This growing demand reinforces Mercury’s position as a trusted partner in live-environment delivery. Through consistently delivering retrofit projects with certainty and precision, DCRF continues to strengthen Mercury’s relationships with global data centre clients and drive repeat business across Europe. John is quick to acknowledge that this growth brings its own challenges, especially when projects must be completed in live environments with no margin for error. Teams must manage risk, maintain uptime, and coordinate seamlessly with multiple stakeholders. Mercury’s approach is built on meticulous planning, real-time communication, and a culture of accountability.
Clients rely on us to protect their operations while enhancing them. That’s a responsibility we take seriously.
Mercury’s ability to deliver safely and efficiently in these high-pressure environments demonstrates its position as a specialist in data centre transformation. Whether managing fast-track programmes, integrating new systems, or executing upgrades, Mercury’s DCRF unit brings the predictability and precision that clients rely on.
Growing Mercury’s Retrofit Offering Across Europe
Under John’s direction, the DCRF division is scaling up with a clear plan to grow capability and capacity. Mercury is actively recruiting skilled professionals with experience in live environments, from engineers to project managers, to support the division’s ambitious trajectory.
Looking ahead, John says the focus is on growing capability and positioning the division for its next stage of expansion:
The next few years will be about scaling up while staying true to our core values of quality, safety, and client focus.
DCRF operates as a specialised business unit with a defined mission: to be the trusted partner of choice for data centre transformation. Its focus on retrofit, fit-out, and upgrade projects supports Mercury’s broader goal to amplify and grow its fit-out and retrofit offering across Europe.
Mercury: The Partner of Choice in the Live Environment
From transforming underutilised spaces to integrating seamlessly into new builds, Mercury’s DCRF team brings exceptional technical expertise and adaptability. This capability, backed by long-standing partnerships and an unrivalled work ethic, positions Mercury to lead the next chapter of data centre evolution.
As John puts it, “Our strength lies not only in how we collaborate, but in how we deliver”:
We thrive in complex environments where precision, adaptability, and trust are non-negotiable.
With a proven track record, a growing team of experts, and a commitment to excellence, Mercury’s DCRF division is ready to deliver on its mission: one retrofit, one fit-out, one trusted partnership at a time.
DATA CENTRES
Mercury is the European Leader in Data Centre solutions. We’ve been a strategic partner to the world’s leading corporations, delivering highly complex projects across 14 pan-European countries. We’ve been the engine behind the data centre revolution for over two decades, applying leading edge technologies and exceptional expertise to some of the sector’s most dynamic construction and fit out programmes.
