Private equity firms are investing in support services firms within strong and growing markets. LLR Partners feels that now is the time to expand upon its investment in the data centers market geographically, this time in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, and they are not the only firm getting in on the action.

LLR-backed Salute Mission Critical, a data center lifecycle services provider that trains and recruits military veterans to become technicians, has acquired AMS Helix, a U.K.-based digital infrastructure services company. The target delivers project management and sustainability services to data centers and telecommunications customers. AMS Helix offers its services across the EMEA region.

“Salute views Europe as a meaningful growth region and is excited about the opportunity it sees in that market,” says Katie Lankalis, vice president at LLR Partners’ industrials practice. “The acquisition of AMS Helix strengthens Salute’s presence in the U.K. and Europe, and alongside the leadership of Martin Murphy (co-founder and partner of AMS Helix), we believe we will be well positioned to capture that future growth.”

LLR isn’t alone in choosing data center support services as an industry to find value. Angeles Equity similarly has acquired Data Clean, a provider of specialized contamination control and removal services for critical environments like data centers, telecommunications facilities and biopharmaceutical and life sciences cleanrooms.

“Through strong leadership and an increased team of subject matter experts in Europe, AMS Helix will strengthen Salute’s ability to service its global data center customers who are investing in the region,” says Lankalis. “Salute will continue to evaluate acquisition opportunities with a focus on data center service providers that can expand Salute’s service line capabilities and/or broaden Salute’s geographic coverage.”

Cole Lipsky