Black & White Engineering has marked another milestone in its global growth with the opening of a new office in Vertis North, Quezon City, Manila. The 1,942 m² facility is designed to accommodate up to 300 technical staff, supporting the company’s long-term vision for expansion and its commitment to delivering high-quality engineering solutions worldwide.

The new space is more than just a physical expansion, it is a strategic step in strengthening Manila’s role as one of Black & White’s global design hubs. Since launching in the Philippines in June 2014 with just 10 employees all of whom remain with the business today the team has grown to 424 members as of August 2025.

“This expansion will put us in a great position to meet the continuous growing demand for all our products and services. Also having a second office will enhance team delivery and at the same time giving our staff an all-time high in confidence and pride,”  said Arman Yango, Director, Manila.

The Manila team plays a critical role in Black & White’s global delivery model, providing consistent, high-quality services across multiple functions and enabling the business to scale efficiently to meet rising global demand. The new office is expected to generate opportunities for fresh graduates as well as experienced professionals, further strengthening the city’s talent pool.

“The opening of our second office in Manila represents a significant milestone in the progress of our global design hubs, strengthening our presence in the region. It demonstrates our commitment to building strong, integrated, and future-ready design capabilities,”  said Bobby Cruz, Director, Manila. “For the team in Manila, it means a more comfortable and productive work environment that promotes creative collaboration and stronger cross-functional teamwork. It also opens the door to future growth, new roles, and enhanced career development opportunities as we continue to grow globally.”

The culture within the Manila team remains one of ownership, accountability and pride in delivering high-quality work. Team members regularly step up to take on new challenges, embrace continuous learning, and contribute to the company’s success in meaningful ways.

With the expansion of the Vertis North office, Black & White Engineering’s Manila hub operates across two locations, further reinforcing its role as a cornerstone of the company’s global operations.

Explore career opportunities at our Manila offices by visiting our Careers Page.

We are pleased to announce that Black & White Engineering has successfully achieved re-certification for ISO 9001:2015 (Quality), ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental), and ISO 45001:2018 (Occupational Health & Safety) across our global operations.

A particular highlight this year is the India team’s first-time certification for ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, marking an important milestone in our global accreditation journey. Their dedication and close collaboration with our HSEQ Smart team throughout the internal audit process have been exemplary, reflecting the high standards and global teamwork that underpin our success.

The external auditor’s closing report highlighted several areas of excellence across the business, noting consistently high standards in service provision, well-structured and organised lead design processes with robust documentation and outstanding sustainability initiatives. Our Learning and Development programme was also described as “especially excellent,” recognised for providing a strong foundation to support ongoing professional growth.

These certifications represent our collective commitment to quality, environmental stewardship and health and safety, which remain core to delivering trusted, sustainable engineering solutions for our clients worldwide.

Looking ahead, we remain focused on expanding our globally accredited management system. We plan to include our newly established offices in Paris, Milan, Frankfurt and Dublin in the upcoming 2026 external audit cycle.

This achievement demonstrates Black & White’s continued dedication to operational excellence and responsible business practices across all regions.

Learn more about our commitment to quality, health, safety and environmental standards at Black & White Engineering. Explore our QHSE approach (Quality, Occupational Health & Safety and Environment).

Since launching its Paris office in 2023, Black & White Engineering has expanded its role in delivering high-performance mission critical infrastructure across France. As demand accelerates for secure, efficient and future-ready data centres, the Paris team has scaled up operations to provide end-to-end MEP design and consultancy services.

Comprehensive delivery for complex data centre projects

Led by Country Manager Michael Mahieu, the team has delivered strong results, expanding both its project portfolio and technical capabilities. Working across a wide scope of data centre projects from site due diligence to full construction delivery, the Paris team continues to provide high-quality, responsive support tailored to the complexities of mission critical infrastructure. In under 2 years the Paris team has:

• Supported over 13 clients across France, delivering over 500 MW IT load
• Secured two major new hyperscale projects totaling 1,050 MW IT load
• Over 1,100 MW IT load of ongoing projects, including one of the largest current data centre projects in Europe at 264 MW IT load.

Alongside project growth, the team has expanded its technical offering to provide full end-to-end support, including:

• Site Due Diligence, Acquisition Support and Test Fits
• Environmental Permit Support
• Full Design APS, APD and PRO (RIBA2, RIBA3, RIBA4, equivalent)
• ACT (Contractor Offers Review)
• MOEX (Site Supervision)

This integrated approach brings clients greater continuity from concept to completion, while enabling close coordination with delivery partners and contractors.

Building a high performing team in Paris

Earlier this year, Technical Director Bernard Gregori joined the leadership team, bringing over 25 years of experience. Bernard’s arrival has strengthened local technical leadership and supports the next phase of growth.

“Joining Black & White was a natural step. It’s a business that combines global expertise with a commitment to local excellence. That’s exactly what the French market needs responsive, experienced teams with the ability to act quickly and deliver well-coordinated results,” says Bernard.

The Paris team now includes eight people, with further hires underway to support growing demand. New opportunities include a environmental engineer and a dedicated MOEX (site supervision) team.

“Our ambition, as we continue this journey, is to expand and further strengthen our in-house design capabilities. We’re also focused on growing our client base and exploring new opportunities in this dynamic market. Our goal is to firmly establish our position as a leader in France by delivering the full breadth of services our clients need,” says Michael. “We’ve built strong foundations and now we’re focused on scaling with purpose.”

Whether you’re planning a new project or looking to take the next step in your career, we want to hear from you.

Get in touch to explore how our Paris team can support your mission critical infrastructure needs. Or visit our careers page to see our current opportunities.

Following the opening of our Frankfurt office in late 2023, Black & White continues to expand our presence in Germany to meet growing demand for high-performance data centre engineering. Germany is a key market for digital infrastructure growth, and our enhanced local presence enables us to deliver tailored, scalable solutions for clients across the region.

As part of this growth, we’re pleased to announce the recent appointment of Timm Weis as Country Manager for Germany.

Timm brings a decade of experience managing large-scale data centre projects. Most recently, he served as Head of the Data Centre Unit at a mid-sized German MEP design consultancy, where he led multidisciplinary teams delivering mission-critical infrastructure for global clients. Among many projects, Timm has played a key role in high-performance computing (HPC) and heat reuse initiatives, with notable experience across the DACH region.

“Germany is a key market for data centre growth, and I’m proud to be leading Black & White’s presence here. My goal is to grow a strong local team, deliver high-quality results, and increase our visibility as a trusted partner in the German market.” Timm Weis, Country Manager, Black & White Engineering

Our Frankfurt office extends Black & White’s ability to provide global delivery with local insight, supporting clients at every stage of the project lifecycle, from early-stage feasibility and technical advisory through to detailed MEP design and commissioning.

As demand for scalable, energy-efficient, and resilient data centre infrastructure continues to rise, our German operations are positioned to support some of the most ambitious developments in the region. We’re also focused on building a strong local team, offering opportunities for experienced professionals and emerging engineers to join a collaborative, fast-paced environment where innovation and technical excellence are at the core.

Timm Weis will be representing Black & White at Data Centre World Frankfurt on 4th-5th June 2025. If you are attending and would like to arrange a meeting with Timm to discuss project opportunities or career paths in data centre engineering in Germany, we welcome the opportunity to connect. Contact us here or reach out to Timm directly on LinkedIn.

At Black & White, we believe that our corporate success is deeply intertwined with the well-being of the communities we serve. As part of our culture, we actively seek and encourage employee feedback to help us grow our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and make meaningful contributions to local communities.

Newcastle Office’s Volunteering Program

In our Newcastle Office, Marxileni Macasaet-Lapuz, Senior Sustainability Consultant has taken the lead in launching a volunteering program, embodying our commitment to community engagement. Supported by the business, this program has seen our dedicated employees contribute their time and effort in various impactful ways, including:

• Working in local charity shops
• Mentoring students to prepare them for interviews and full-time employment

We’re incredibly proud of our team members who go above and beyond to make a difference. Their dedication and enthusiasm are truly inspiring and set a standard for community involvement.

Catherine Allen’s Workshop at St Columba’s Hospice Care

This week, Caff Allen, Global L&D Director exemplified our CSR values by taking the initiative to run a facilitation workshop with the wonderful volunteers at St Columba’s Hospice Care. The workshop, titled ‘Making Choices for the Future,’ is an informative, compassionate, and human approach to empowering individuals to understand their future care planning options.

Caff’s efforts not only reflect our company’s values but also highlight the significant impact our employees can make. We are grateful for Caff’s contribution and look forward to hearing about the positive outcomes from this workshop as it is shared with local businesses and organisations.

Our Commitment to Making a Difference

At Black & White, our team are supported in seeking opportunities to make a difference in the local communities where we operate. It was a real privilege this week to see our values in action through the facilitation workshop at St Columba’s Hospice Care.

We remain committed to fostering a culture of giving back and making a positive impact, driven by the passion and dedication of our incredible team members.

Thank you, Caff, Xye, Ram and all our volunteers, for being part of this meaningful journey. Your efforts are a testament to the strength of our community spirit and our collective ability to create a better future for all.

Black & White is excited to announce its strategic partnership with Waterland Private Equity, a world-leading independent investment group.  Waterland is an independent private equity investment company that supports entrepreneurs and family businesses with their growth ambitions and is a key ally for successful companies in dynamic markets, assisting with growth through acquisitions, financing, and organisational support. Waterland operates in 11 countries across Europe, including the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Ireland, France, Spain and Poland.

The Black & White business today employs over 500 people and works with 110 clients across 23 countries. Waterland’s investment represents an exciting opportunity to further enhance our already impressive track record and accelerate on the timelines set for our strategic growth targets. With Waterland as a strategic partner, we aim to broaden support for customers across both new geographies and through widening our engineering offering with new specialisms. This will be delivered through a combination of organically broadening our footprint into new territories and pursuing strategic acquisitions across Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa.

Mick Cairns, our CEO and founder of Black & White, will remain integral to the business, continuing as CEO alongside the Black & White leadership team. A cornerstone of our success lies in the culture the leadership team have fostered within the business and the calibre of talent this has attracted. This culture of excellence will be preserved. The Black & White leadership team will all be remaining with the businesses following the partnership with Waterland, underpinning the importance of loyalty and continuity.

Commenting on the acquisition, Mick Cairns, Founder of Black & White said: “Black & White has grown hugely since the business was founded and I could not be prouder of our team, who have helped us to reach this huge milestone in our journey. We are delighted to be partnering with Waterland and leveraging their track record of international growth and acquisition experience. We are looking forward to supercharging the momentum we have built with Waterland acting as a hands-on partner, which supports our vision and ambitions.”

Wendy McMillan, Partner at Waterland Private Equity, commented: “Mick Cairns is an impressive entrepreneur who has built an outstanding business. We look forward to supporting Mick and the senior team in this next chapter and will continue to back their philosophy of investing in people and working together with the best talent to create a global leader in engineering for the data centre market. We will be leveraging our network and expertise in acquisitions and international expansion to help Black & White reach the next level and we are looking forward to seeing what the future holds for the business.”

We are thrilled to announce Wyn Turnbull’s promotion to Global Technical Director. Over the past six years, Wyn has been instrumental in enhancing our Technical Authority, significantly improving quality and efficiency through knowledge sharing mechanisms, technical research, documentation, technical tools, and standardisation of the Black & White product.

The Technical Authority, under Wyn’s leadership, has adeptly managed our business’s technical challenges, providing a robust platform to elevate our capabilities. Maintaining our high standards of technical expertise enables Black & White to continue to meet our clients’ needs and support our growth.

Congratulations, Wyn, on this well-deserved promotion!

We are thrilled to share a remarkable achievement from one of our own graduates, Omran Alawadhi, who recently clinched his first gold medal at the Emirates Junior Powerlifting Championships 2024 and shattered a national record in the process. This incredible feat not only highlights his dedication and perseverance but also serves as a source of inspiration for us all.

In his own words, he reflected on the journey that led him to this momentous achievement: “Out of the many times I competed, I ended up last place more than once. It was crushing, it would’ve been very easy to just stop, find something else because this is clearly not working out, right? Wrong! I decided to not be satisfied with mediocrity, and push through that mental block that absolutely loves the comfort zone. The comfort zone is just another name for the graveyard of dreams and aspirations, and it was too early for me to visit that cemetery. It’s disgraceful for the soul to give up when the body is still going strong.”

His words resonate deeply with the essence of resilience and determination. Despite facing setbacks and challenges along the way, he refused to succumb to mediocrity and instead chose to push beyond his limits, ultimately emerging victorious.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Omran on this remarkable achievement. His triumph not only brings honour to himself but also fills us with immense pride as members of the Black & White family.

His journey reminds us that success is not always immediate, and setbacks are simply stepping stones on the path to greatness.

Congratulations once again to Omran on his outstanding achievement. Here’s to continued success and countless more victories in the future!

 

We are thrilled to announce that we have welcomed our 500th team member to the Black & White family!

We’re proud to have such a diverse and dedicated team, and we look forward to achieving new milestones together.

Join us in welcoming our newest team member, Abhishek Kumar, Revit/Cad Technician in our New Delhi team, and celebrating this incredible achievement!

 

Black & White Engineering’s recent expansion to Paris signifies a major step forward in the Data Centre industry. This move showcases our dedication to strategic growth and delivering excellence. Established officially in September 2020, the Paris office is now firmly entrenched in the Western European market, focusing on business development in France and French-speaking regions while supporting new regional projects.

Opportunities

Black & White Engineering SAS, our Paris stronghold, strategically positions itself within the business landscape of the French capital. Stemming from our UK presence, this expansion has led to six Data Centre projects in the Paris region and nurtured partnerships with local engineering companies in France.

Broadening partnerships and reinforcing existing relationships are pivotal for our agility and design reputation. This initiative opens doors for engaging new clients seeking innovative Data Centre solutions. Our commitment to international development underscores our alignment with local culture and regulations, allowing us to tap into the rapidly increasing local market.

Team and Operations

Combining local insights with global expertise, Black & White Paris focuses on daily operational support, business development, networking, and service delivery. Participation in industry events and networking engagements amplifies our presence. Meanwhile, legal processes and local service contracts streamline our operations.

Future plans involve recruiting a Project Manager/Project Director to bolster operations and support the UK team. Leveraging local partnerships remains crucial in delivering tailored engineering solutions meeting market needs.

Future Plans

With support from leadership and global teams, the Paris office has achieved significant milestones. Plans include securing a strategic co-working space and recruiting project management and MEP Engineer roles by 2024. Our presence in France also paves the way for potential expansion into other European countries and Africa.

Black & White’s expansion into Paris highlights our strategic planning and commitment to client success. This milestone marks the beginning of our journey to expand, achieve project management independence in France, discover new clients, and explore the vibrant French and European markets.