Belgian telecom company Proximus has decided to sell its data centers located in Evere, Mechelen, and Machelen to Datacenter United. This strategic move is valued at €128 million, and these facilities will join Datacenter United’s network of nine data centers across Belgium.
This transaction strengthens Datacenter United’s presence in the Belgian data center market, enhancing its digital infrastructure capabilities. Meanwhile, Proximus will remain a customer at these venues under a 10-year master service agreement. The deal also includes leasing office and telecom space for Proximus at the Evere and Mechelen sites.
Guillaume Boutin, CEO of the Proximus Group, stated, “While customers will continue to benefit from state-of-the-art data center infrastructure, with data stored in Belgium and managed by an expert partner, Proximus will continue to pursue its hybrid cloud strategy and further sharpen its focus on delivering value added services to customers as an IT integrator.” This reflects Proximus’s commitment to maintaining high service standards as it pivots to focus more intently on hybrid cloud strategies and IT integration offerings.
This asset divestment aligns with the company’s broader strategy to offload €500 million in assets to improve its financial stability. Announced earlier in September, this plan aims to reinforce Proximus’s core operational focus. The €130 million generated from this transaction significantly contributes to this asset divestment target.
However, this sale also marks a departure for Proximus from owning and directly managing an integral part of its infrastructure. While the agreement assures continued service at these centers, the shift denotes a change in control to Datacenter United, requiring Proximus to rely on third-party management of these facilities.
This development may signal broader trends within the telecommunications sector where companies choose to streamline operations and focus on core competencies. By partnering with Datacenter United, Proximus aims to leverage external expertise while optimizing its asset base.
