Munters is shutting down data center operations in EMEA

Swedish air conditioning and climate control specialist Munters will be winding down its data center business in EMEA, and is planning to close a specialized factory in Dison, Belgium. According to local publication RTBF, 216 jobs are under threat.
The restructuring plan was revealed in 2018 financial results, published last week.
The decision follows a difficult quarter for the company: despite a high number of orders in 2017 (including one for SEK 450m), the data center division reported a significant loss for the last three months of 2018.
As a result, Munters will take a write-down of SEK 323 million ($34.66m) related to its data center operations.
The company’s entire range of data center products will remain available in North America.
No longer with us
Munters has been developing solutions for air treatment since 1955. The company is active in the food, pharmaceutical, electronics, agriculture and mission-critical infrastructure sectors, and is majority owned by Nordic Capital.
After a disappointing year, Munters is embarking on a major restructuring initiative that will see its data center business considerably reduced in size. The three-phase plan was one of the first decisions to be announced under the interim president and CEO, Johan Ek.
In December, concerned about the group’s financial performance, Munters’ board of directors decided that it was time for his predecessor, John Peter Leesi, who took the company public in 2017, to leave. There were also major changes made to the board itself.
“The fourth quarter performance was characterized by encouraging trends in many of our activities, but also ongoing disappointments in the data center business,” Ek said in a statement.
“Data centers continued its negative trend, reporting a significant loss in the quarter, mainly derived in the European business. The continued losses in data centers, as well as the group earnings for full year 2018 being at the same level as last year, are unsatisfying.” He added that the problems seemed to be caused by tight margins, rather than slow sales growth.
Besides writing off SEK 323 million directly, Munters will also spend approximately SEK 350 million ($37.55m) to restructure its business and close the factory in Belgium.
The company is also investigating alternative options, including partnerships and divestiture of assets; any job cuts or facility closures will be subject to consultation with the relevant employee representative bodies, i.e. Belgian unions.
Munters will continue to sell data center products in the US and Canada, and operate its data center and air treatment equipment factory in Buena Vista, Virginia. However, the data center division will not keep its independence, and will be integrated into the Air Treatment business unit during the first quarter of 2019.
“Our analysis of our data centers operations has convinced the board of directors and the management team, that the prospects for establishing a profitable data center business in Europe are limited in a market with overcapacity and ongoing price pressure. Our focus going forward will mainly be on the US data center market where we have a more commercially viable base for achieving profitable growth,” detailed the earnings report.
"Munters’ move may come as a surprise after a year of strong deliveries including a hyperscale facility, but it’s a decision of an astute management,” Daniel Bizo, principal analyst for Data Center Services & Infrastructure at 451 Research, told DCD.
“The fact that mature technology and a long list of customers, some of them major operators, is not enough to succeed shows the cruel reality all makers of data center equipment must face. As the structure of demand changes from many customers to a handful of massive and demanding buyers, price pressure and the financial difference between hits and misses will only get worse.
“Further consolidation and the need to share design and manufacturing across product lines and even industries seem to be an inevitable consequence."
source datacenterdynamics
Industry: Data Centre News

Latest Jobs
-
- Account Manager - IT Services
- Germany
- €90000 plus OTE and Car
-
Are you a deal closer with a hunter mindset? Do you know how to uncover business pain points, and turn them into long-term digital transformation partnerships? Our Client are growing their sales force across Germany and looking for an ambitious, straight-talking Account Manager to take the lead on new client acquisition. You’ll focus on mid-sized to large enterprises across Germany helping to shape their digital future with tailored IT solutions in Workplace, Cloud, and Security. • Drive Growth: Own the full sales cycle for new business across your region. • Solution Sell: Build bespoke offers in Security, Digital Workplace and Cloud solutions • Build Relationships: Establish a solid pipeline through smart prospecting, marketing-driven leads, and your own network. • Represent a brand known for trust, delivery, and tech excellence—with 4,000 employees globally and a growing team within Germany. What You Bring • Proven new logo sales experience in the IT services space (not hardware!) • Deep knowledge in one or more of: Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace, or Cloud • Confidence to lead enterprise deals and pitch directly to senior stakeholders • Fluent German and good English skills Sind Sie ein Abschlussprofi mit Hunter-Mentalität? Wissen Sie, wie man geschäftliche Pain Points identifiziert und in langfristige Partnerschaften zur digitalen Transformation verwandelt? Unser Kunde baut derzeit sein Vertriebsteam in ganz Deutschland aus und sucht eine ambitionierte, ehrliche Persönlichkeit als Account Manager, die den Lead bei der Neukundengewinnung übernimmt. Ihr Fokus liegt auf mittelständischen bis großen Unternehmen in Deutschland, denen Sie mit maßgeschneiderten IT-Lösungen in den Bereichen Workplace, Cloud und Security den Weg in die digitale Zukunft ebnen. Ihre Aufgaben • Wachstum vorantreiben: Verantwortung für den gesamten Vertriebszyklus im Neugeschäft Ihrer Region. • Lösungsorientierter Vertrieb: Entwicklung individueller Angebote in den Bereichen Security, Digital Workplace und Cloud-Lösungen. • Beziehungen aufbauen: Aufbau einer stabilen Pipeline durch gezielte Ansprache, marketinggenerierte Leads und Ihr eigenes Netzwerk. • Marke repräsentieren: Werden Sie Teil eines Unternehmens mit 4.000 Mitarbeitenden weltweit und einem stark wachsenden Team in Deutschland – bekannt für Vertrauen, Verlässlichkeit und technologische Exzellenz. Was Sie mitbringen • Nachgewiesene Erfahrung in der Neukundenakquise im Bereich IT-Services (kein Hardwarevertrieb!) • Fundiertes Wissen in mindestens einem der Bereiche: Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace oder Cloud • Selbstbewusstes Auftreten im Umgang mit Enterprise-Deals und Entscheidungsträgern auf Top-Level • Verhandlungssichere Deutschkenntnisse und gute Englischkenntnisse
-
- Senior SOC Analyst Level 3. Microsoft Security stack | Ability to achieve SC Clearance
- London
- To attract the right person
-
Job Title: Senior SOC Analyst Level 3. Microsoft Security stack | Ability to achieve SC Clearance Location: Hybrid remote | London / Berkshire Overview: Senior SOC Analyst Level 3 to join a specialist Managed Security Services business. You will be responsible for advanced threat hunting / triage, incident response etc with a strong focus on the Microsoft Security Stack. Key Responsibilities: Lead and resolve complex security incidents / escalations Conduct advanced threat hunting using the Microsoft Security Stack. Build, optimise and maintain workbooks, rules, analytics etc. Correlate data across Microsoft 365 Defender, Azure Defender and Sentinel. Perform root cause analysis and post-incident reporting. Aid in mentoring and upskilling Level 1 and 2 SOC analysts. Required Skills & Experience: The ability to achieve UK Security Clearance (SC) – existing clearance ideal. (Sorry no visa applications) Current experience working with a SOC environment Microsoft Sentinel: Development and tuning of custom analytic rules. Workbook creation and dashboarding. Automation using Playbooks and SOAR integration. Kusto Query Language (KQL): Writing complex, efficient queries for advanced threat hunting and detection. Correlating data across key tables (e.g., SignInLogs, SecurityEvent, OfficeActivity, DeviceEvents). Developing custom detection rules, optimising performance, and reducing false positives. Supporting Sentinel Workbooks, Alerts, and Playbooks through advanced KQL use. Deep understanding of incident response, threat intelligence and adversary techniques (MITRE ATT&CK framework). Strong knowledge of cloud and hybrid security, particularly within Azure. Additional Requirements: Must hold or be eligible to achieve a minimum of Security Clearance (SC) level. Nice to have certifications (e.g., SC-200, AZ-500, GIAC) are desirable. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. Excellent communication for clear documentation and team collaboration. Please follow Wheaton’s Law.
-
- New Business Sales Hunter | Cyber Security (UK Based)
- London
- To attract the right person
-
New Business Sales Hunter needed | Cybersecurity (UK Based) Are you looking for uncapped commission, a fun and sociable team that drives success with no politics? If so...You must Be UK based - and able to achieve UK SC clearance. (sorry no visas) Have a demonstrable history of sales success in Cyber Security Follow Weatons law. The role: Seeking a proven New Business Sales Hunter to join an established, successful and expanding cyber security firm. New business focused - £1m GP year one target (ramped). Sell a blend of security services & professional services. Ideal experience selling some or all of the following Cyber strategy & risk management Managed detection & response (MDR) Penetration testing Compliance & audit support You: Strong cybersecurity/IT services sales track record. Confident selling into mid-market & enterprise. UK based - London commutable 1x per week. Hunter mindset, full sales cycle ownership. Don't just send an email to apply give me a call on 07884666351
-
- CyberArk Architect
- London
- Upto £110,000 plus bonus and benefits
-
Are you ready to lead from the front and drive innovation in the Identity & Access Management (IAM) space? We’re looking for a seasoned CyberArk Architect who has CDE-CPC ideally or experience with privilege Cloud, someone who can lead with vision, execute with precision, and inspire teams to deliver excellence. As a key leader in our organisation, you’ll bring your strong business acumen and a technology-focused, innovative mindset to the table. You’ll be driving strategic initiatives, shaping transformation programs, and empowering teams to think big and deliver even bigger. Acting as a subject matter expert in CyberArk Leading strategic transformations in: Identity Governance Privileged Access Management (PAM) Access Management Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) Building and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships within the team Communicating clearly and confidently — both written and verbal — to deliver updates, raise potential issues, and share insights If you are interested in the above position we are looking for people with: deep expertise and a successful track record in IAM strategy, delivery, or assurance with CyberArk Hold relevant certifications such as CDE in Privileged Cloud or Guardian Have experience in a client-facing role (preferred, but not essential) Thrive in a hybrid working environment and are available to work from our or client London office three days a week Lead with clarity, communicate with impact, and adapt quickly to changing priorities