US logistics, distribution, and supply chain solutions company Wesco has acquired data center management and solutions firm Ascent.
Wesco International this week announced it has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Ascent LLC., a provider of data center facility management services, for a cash-free, debt-free purchase price of $185 million. The acquisition is anticipated to close in the fourth quarter following customary regulatory approval.
Wesco said the privately-owned Ascent was known for its specialized data center facility and property management services, and has $115 million in trailing twelve-month sales and a 30 percent three-year sales compound annual growth rate.
Founded in 1998, Ascent offerings include data center design and build, operations and maintenance, liquid cooling design and implementation, repairs and emergency services, and management of third-party maintenance workflows. Ascent's proprietary Navigator platform also provides an integrated client dashboard designed to support data center infrastructure and facilities.
"This services-based acquisition strengthens our leading data center solutions portfolio for our customers," said John Engel, chairman, president and CEO of Wesco. "In addition to site operations, Ascent's engineering expertise and professional services further enhance our solutions that span the entire lifecycle of the data center."
“With more than 330 employees in the United States and Canada, Ascent's strong team, innovative technology, and extensive customer base make it an ideal pairing with Wesco Data Center Solutions. This acquisition will allow us to further extend our end-to-end service offerings — including advanced liquid cooling solutions — in collaboration with our supplier and contractor partners to meet the demands of the rapidly growing data center market," said Bill Geary, EVP and general manager, Wesco communications and security solutions.
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Wesco provides logistics services and supply chain solutions to commercial and industrial customers, contractors, government agencies, educational institutions, telecommunications providers, and utilities. The Fortune 500 company first launched its data center business in March last year, and acquired data center solutions provider entroCIM over the summer.
As well as design and build services, Ascent operates two data centers; one in Toronto, Canada, and another in Chicago, Illinois.
Update: Wesco has reached out to DCD to confirm that Ascent no longer owns or operates these data centers. Wesco said it does not own any data centers.
Ascent acquired the Toronto data center in March 2017. The 310,000 sq ft (28,800 sqm) building sits on 26 acres and can offer up to 60MW. OVH is a customer of the facility.
The single-story Chicago facility, at 505 N. Railroad Avenue in Northlake, totals 250,000 sq ft (23,120 sqm). The company sold the facility to Carter Validus in 2017 for $211.7 million, which in turn sold the site to Digital Realty for $315 million the same year.
Ascent has previously operated data centers in Atlanta, Georgia, and Plano, Texas.
