Westgate Global appoints Andy Thomas as Data Centre Lead as project pipeline grows

As specialists in weather protection screening and partitioning systems for complex and live build environments, we are excited to announce the appointment of Andy Thomas as our Data Centre Lead.

The appointment comes as extreme weather and the impact of the El Niño weather phenomenon continues to disrupt construction, with both data centre contractors and operators seeking robust and cost-effective solutions to weather proofing to protect project timelines and budgets.

Andy’s appointment forms part of our formalised data centre strategy, which is designed to support projects across the UK, US and parts of Europe, as weather-related delays threaten the sector’s ability to meet growing capacity demand on schedule.

Having joined the business back in 2021 as head of industrial sales, Andy is responsible for advising data centre contractors and project managers on site-wide custom engineered weather protection strategies. Andy provides crucial expertise into the design and planning stage of build programmes, ensuring project deadlines are met, regardless of adverse weather conditions.

Building on our experience

Our dedicated focus on data centres builds on our 40 years of experience delivering protection projects around the globe across sectors including manufacturing, aerospace and warehousing. Already in 2026 we have worked on 12 data centre projects and we expect to secure an additional forty projects before the end of the year.

Speaking on the business’ data centre focus, Andy said:

"The data centre market is one of the fastest growing sectors not only in the UK, but in Europe and North America. Appetite for data centre capability is increasing exponentially, and with that comes intense pressure on construction programmes."

While the government aims to triple AI-capable data centre capacity in the UK by 2030, a persistent delivery challenge puts that target in jeopardy with up to 50% of planned data centres now behind schedule.

Weather conditions are one of the reasons for delays. Concrete cannot be poured at near-freezing temperatures, while high temperatures can cause cracking and poor structural integrity. In addition, heavy rainfall and high winds create safety risks on-site, as Andy explains:

“Alongside the tight time schedules and pressure from operators to deliver on-time, contractors are facing external and environmental factors, without adequate weather risk management strategies in place."

Protecting project momentum

Westgate Global mitigates these environmental risks through specialised, high-performance protection systems. Our proprietary Flexiscreen® solution acts as an all-weather shield, wrapping around a building to keep out wind, rain, temperature swings and dust, protecting project momentum and allowing construction programmes to continue regardless of external conditions.

Westgate Global’s engineered temporary screening also allows ISO 7 cleanrooms to be achieved directly next to active works. In the context of a data centre build, this prevents any dust or fine particulates getting into and damaging sensitive IT equipment. As a result, data halls can be fitted out in parallel without having to wait for full structural completion, helping to keep projects on track.

Speaking on Andy’s appointment, Murray Gates, CEO of Westgate Global added:

"This appointment is a direct response to what we’re seeing happen on the ground: unpredictable weather is becoming the new normal, and it’s a major operational risk to delivery schedules.

If the industry is going to hit the ambitious growth targets set by both government and market demand, we have to change how we build. Andy’s invaluable experience and focus on the data centre market, will help contractors and operators build-in weather resilience from day one to deliver complex projects on time and within budget."

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