An optimistic sector with record levels of respondents (98%) seeing demand either maintained or increasing was an encouraging finding from The Winter Report 2021/22,  which is undertaken by independent research house IX Consulting and commissioned by BCS, (Business Critical Solutions) the specialist services provider to the digital infrastructure industry. It captures the views of over 3000 senior datacentre professionals across Europe, including owners, operators, developers, consultants and end users.

However, despite these findings – the highest levels of confidence since the survey began 14 years ago – there are real concerns within the industry about how to deliver this capacity against a backdrop of a shortage of key skills and the ongoing disruption in the supply chain. In fact 91% of respondents had experienced some issues over the past 12 months.  Disruptions were felt the hardest amongst our build professionals, with 69% of developer/investor respondents and 62% of design engineering and construction respondents reporting that in 2021 they had experienced significant supply chain volatility.

James Hart, CEO at BCS, said: “These well documented supply problems have led to delayed deliveries and higher prices. They are widespread and there is a general reduction in the supply and the reliability of supply visible in our sectors.  There are massive dislocations in the container market, shipping routes, ports, air cargo, trucking lines, railways and even warehouses. The result is shortages of key manufacturing components, order backlogs, delivery delays and a spike in transportation costs and consumer prices.

“Covid 19 has not only exacerbated these issues but has also brought about a shift in how we look at current supply chains.  Certainly, more companies and governments are reviewing their supply chains for critical items, with a mind towards security of supply as well as cost. Our expectation and recent experience is that supply chains are already shortening as a response to Covid, either via reshoring, or as companies try to diversify their sources of supply. We at BCS are helping clients through this process and have mapped supply chains associated with the deployment of data centres.”

To download The Winter Report 21/22 in full please click here: https://www.bcs.uk.com/winter-report-2021-supply-chain-disruption-taking-stock/

Keysource, the global datacentre and critical environment specialist, has been selected to join the Fortrus Framework as an approved supplier of data centre services and solutions. Under the terms of the agreement Keysource will join the framework of organisations that have been strategically selected because they have the ability to provide UK policing with cost-effective and compliant technology solutions.

The Fortrus Framework is designed to give UK policing and other public sector organisations the ability to procure technology, including digital transformation and managed services, without the need for extended and costly procurement exercises. Keysource will offer its full range of its services from consultancy through to delivery and ongoing management.

Ted Pulfer, Enterprise & End User Sector Consultant at Keysource said: “This is a time of unrivalled digital change for many public sector organisations as they look to Digital Transformation to revolutionise the way IT services and solutions are procured, deployed, implemented and consumed. We have a long pedigree of advising on and managing high performance data centres both in the public and private sector and we are proud to have been selected as an approved supplier to police forces across the UK via this framework.”

Richard Jones, Head of Policing at Fortrus said: “Traditional procurement routes can be protracted and lack agility. Agility lies at the heart of the Fortrus Framework, as does partnership. Most procurement exercises are adversarial; they deliberately force public bodies to choose between suppliers rather than working with them collaboratively to get the best outcome. The Fortrus Framework enables public sector bodies to procure and deliver solutions that harness the best capabilities from specialist companies and we are delighted to welcome the expertise and experience that Keysource brings.”