Kent, a global leader in engineering services, has announced the acquisition of Sudlows Consulting, a leading design and engineering firm specialising in data centres. This milestone marks Kent’s strategic entry into the high-growth international data centre engineering market and strengthens its commitment to sector diversification and sustainability.
Headquartered in Dubai with offices in India, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, Sudlows Consulting is renowned for its expertise in the nascent yet fast-growing data centre markets of these regions. Since its establishment in 2014, the firm has successfully delivered over 100 data centre projects across 20 countries, cementing its leadership position in this dynamic sector.
Plugging into Kent’s truly global platform will accelerate Sudlows Consulting’s growth trajectory, while propelling Kent closer to its strategic goals of diversifying into power-related end-markets and enhancing profitability.
A Booming Sector with Enduring Opportunities
The global data centre sector has experienced extraordinary growth, with a 16% CAGR between 2017 and 2024, and forecasts indicating an 11% CAGR from 2024 to 2028. This surge is fuelled by global megatrends such as increasing data usage, cloud adoption, the rise of Artificial Intelligence, and data sovereignty regulations mandating local data hosting. These trends present a non-cyclical growth opportunity expected to span decades.
By combining Sudlows Consulting’s expertise with Kent’s innovation-driven approach, the two organisations are poised to meet the world’s growing demand for secure, efficient data centres. Together, they aim to drive transformative change in the sector by advancing lower-carbon production methods, aligning with Kent’s broader sustainability commitments.
Shared Vision and Cultural Synergy
The integration of Sudlows Consulting into Kent’s operations reflects a meeting of entrepreneurial mindsets and shared values. Kent recognises the strong cultural alignment between the teams, with both companies committed to pushing boundaries and delivering exceptional value for clients.
'Our acquisition of Sudlows Consulting is more than just a business opportunity—it’s a strategic leap into a sector primed for long-term growth,' said John Gilley, CEO of Kent. 'We’re excited to partner with a team that not only shares our vision for innovation and sustainability but also brings a proven track record in delivering world-class data centre projects. Together, we will shape the future of data centre engineering while advancing global security and reducing environmental impact.'
John Rippingale, CEO of Sudlows Consulting, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: 'Joining forces with Kent is a significant milestone for Sudlows Consulting. This collaboration not only validates our achievements over the past decade but also amplifies our capacity to deliver cutting-edge data centre solutions on a global scale. We are excited about the synergies this partnership brings and look forward to a future of shared success.'
Exiting Shareholders, led by John Collins, gave praise to the Kent team and echoed the words of John Gilley reinforcing that 'the strategic fit between Kent and Sudlows Consulting will bring new waves of sustainable engineering excellence for many years to come. Sudlows Consulting’s strong and extremely talented team of professional data centre engineers have the experience and expertise it takes to operate at the highest levels within the industry. This acquisition will allow Sudlows Group to continue to focus on its global design and build activities as a specialist MEP contractor for hyperscale customers'.
This acquisition reinforces Kent’s position as a global engineering powerhouse, uniquely equipped to address the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly evolving energy and technology landscape.
Source: Kent
