Strategic partnership boosts cooling solutions

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Mitsubishi Electric Hydronics & IT Cooling Systems S.p.A. (MEHITS), headquartered in Bassano, Italy, has acquired a stake in Intramech Pty Ltd., a South African company specialising in sales and services for applied HVAC and IT cooling systems

By strengthening its partnership with Intramech, known for its strong sales, service, and engineering expertise in southern Africa, Mitsubishi Electric aims to expand both companies’ technical capabilities while enhancing its one-stop service offerings for applied HVAC and IT cooling systems.

Through the integration of Mitsubishi Electric’s product portfolio with Intramech’s local know-how, the two companies will complement each other in maintenance, equipment engineering, and system integration. Together, they will provide end-to-end services, including design-related technical support, sales, installation, operation, and maintenance, across southern Africa.

The collaboration comes at a time when data centre construction is surging globally, including across Africa, driving increased demand for IT cooling. Data centre operators are also seeking more comprehensive services covering installation, operation, and maintenance of cooling equipment.

According to Mitsubishi Electric, “The new partnerships will allow Mitsubishi Electric to strengthen its presence in southern Africa to deliver more comprehensive customer support and better meet the demand for applied HVAC and IT cooling system solutions, which is forecast to grow significantly in the regional market.”

SABEN supports around 450,000 students across 267 campuses and 46 colleges, delivering digital solutions designed to address the unique needs of the education sector

Teraco, a Digital Realty company and leading provider of interconnection platforms and vendor-neutral colocation data centres, has announced a five-year extension of its support grant to the South African Broadband Education Networks (SABEN) through the Teraco Connect Foundation

Initially signed in 2020, the grant has been extended until 2030, bringing its total value to R17.5 million (approx. US$958,000). This renewed funding supports SABEN’s national initiative to eliminate bandwidth poverty in South Africa’s public schools and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.

SABEN, a non-profit organisation and a key component of South Africa’s National Research and Education Network (NREN), is the sole provider of broadband and connectivity services to public TVET colleges across the country. Currently, SABEN supports around 450,000 students across 267 campuses and 46 colleges, delivering digital solutions designed to address the unique needs of the education sector.

The Teraco Connect Foundation grant enables these institutions to access digital content more efficiently while laying the groundwork for long-term digital strategies.

Garth Scholtz, SABEN general manager, commented, “Thanks to Teraco’s generous support, we are equipped to continue improving the digital transformation potential of each institution, which SABEN can support adequately.

“Our ultimate beneficiaries are the students. We aim to position ourselves as a conduit to the various classroom technologies that can be built on our scalable platform of digital solutions through the NREN services offering or serving as a thought leader on related technologies. We see ourselves playing a large role in building future capacity in the sector, which would not only help the colleges to help themselves better, but hopefully retain the skills in the public sector where they are so desperately needed,” continued Scholtz.

Through the grant extension, SABEN will maintain a physical presence in Teraco’s Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban data centres. This presence connects colleges directly to Platform Teraco, providing access to a rich ecosystem of cloud and content service providers and enabling improved streaming, cloud-based learning, and remote education capabilities.

Jan Hnizdo, Teraco CEO, noted that the initiative reflects the company’s long-term vision for the education sector.

“The Teraco Connect Foundation sees the grant as an investment in the future of this country at a time when all sectors are facing significant challenges. As a leading data centre infrastructure provider, we are proud to invest in education, one of the most important cornerstones to secure the future growth and development of all South Africans.”

Scholtz emphasises the importance of collaboration between education and industry.

“Collaboration with industry is key, and the grant extension from Teraco will assist us in meeting the evolving digital requirements of all the institutions. South Africa’s skills shortage cannot be addressed unless our education system produces a labour force with the right skills to meet the industry’s demand.

“Poverty and inequality can never be eliminated unless the next generation of previously disadvantaged citizens is economically empowered. The role of all these educational institutions will play a significant role and, as SABEN, we need to ensure that this journey is fully enabled.”

Boosting data centre uptime reliability. (Image source: Brady Corporation)

In data centres, uptime is crucial. Uninterrupted operation is essential for all critical services. A key factor in maintaining this, often underestimated, is a standardised and reliable identification system for all infrastructure components

Discover how a leading automotive manufacturer revolutionised their operations and minimised risks by implementing a robust identification system. Learn how Brady's innovative labeling solutions delivered clearer infrastructure, fewer errors, and rock-solid reliability.

The Challenge: reducing downtime risks

Datacentre professionals constantly aim for high service levels. A significant risk to continuous operation is human error, particularly disconnecting the wrong cable. The complexity of modern datacentres, with dense cabling, makes this risk higher. To minimise the risks of incorrect cable disconnection, clear, reliable, and consistently applied labels for racks, servers, and cables are vital.

The solution: durable labels and efficient processes

One of important automotive manufacturer recently addressed this by implementing a comprehensive identification approach. They used industrial-grade labels designed for datacentre demands. These labels, like Brady's B-425, B-427, and B-461, use specially developed materials and adhesives, ensuring they stay attached even to curved surfaces like UTP cables.

Beyond the labels, the solution included advanced design and printing capabilities. Brady Workstation label design apps let technicians create and customise labels easily from various devices. For on-site printing, the handheld M610 Label Printer is practical. For larger volumes, the BradyPrinter i7100 Industrial Label Printer provides efficient batch printing.

Crucially, the implementation included on-site consulting to help standardize labels and support the datacentre's overall identification strategy. This ensured the new labeling system integrated smoothly with existing operations.

Results: preventing errors and enhancing uptime

Brady labels and identification solutions have delivered clear benefits. By ensuring labels remain securely attached, the risk of cable patching mistakes has significantly decreased. This directly contributes to improved datacentre uptime and service levels. Additionally, the streamlined process for designing, printing, and applying labels has made standardisation practical and easy to implement.

In an industry where uptime is crucial, a reliable identification system is not just good practice; it's one of the fundamental elements of operational resilience.

Discover how Brady can optimise your data centre's uptime. Find out more about dedicated identification and labelling solutions for datacenters >>

Ready to enhance your datacentre's reliability? Speak with a Brady expert to discuss your data centre's specific needs.

Partnership expands rural broadband access

NEC XON, one of Africa’s leading systems integrators, has formed a strategic partnership with Mimosa Networks, a global leader in fixed wireless solutions, to boost digital inclusion by bringing high-speed broadband connectivity to underserved and rural communities across the continent

The collaboration has already achieved a landmark rollout across four territories with one of Africa’s largest mobile network operators, marking a significant advancement in closing the digital divide.

“Too often, connectivity is the privilege of the few,” remarked Liesle Botha, key account executive at NEC XON. “Our vision with Mimosa is to extend reliable, high-speed broadband to the communities, schools, hospitals, clinics, and government facilities that need it most – places that fibre simply cannot reach easily or affordably.”

Tackling rural connectivity challenges in South Africa

In many rural regions, commercial mobile network operators have limited motivation to build broadband infrastructure due to low demand for data-heavy services like streaming. However, these communities still require dependable internet for education, public services, and economic participation.

“Mimosa’s technology is specifically engineered for challenging environments, such as rural South Africa. By leveraging unlicensed spectrum, high-gain antennas, and robust design, we partnered with NEC XON to overcome spectrum congestion issues to deliver reliable broadband,” commented Mohsin Ali, director of channel sales for MEA at Mimosa Networks.

Mimosa’s solutions provide point-to-multipoint connectivity, enabling strong broadband delivery from a single hub to multiple surrounding areas. This cost-effective and rapid deployment model makes it ideal for Africa’s varied and often remote landscapes, where fibre infrastructure is either prohibitively expensive or technically unfeasible.

Key advantages of Mimosa’s technology include:

• Extended frequency support for greater reach and flexibility

• High subscriber speeds even in congested or interference-heavy environments

• New non-line-of-sight (NLoS) devices that ensure connectivity even when direct access points are blocked

These solutions are already being deployed in partnership with multiple operators across Southern Africa, with further expansions planned throughout the continent.

“Our strategic partnership with Mimosa positions NEC XON to lead the charge in expanding wireless broadband infrastructure across sub-Saharan Africa,” added Botha. “Together, we’re creating scalable, affordable, and carrier-grade solutions that are not only disrupting legacy access technologies but also empowering millions with access to education, healthcare, government services, and economic opportunities.”

Mimosa’s growing global footprint

Supported by India’s Jio Platforms, Mimosa has become the world’s fastest-growing provider of point-to-point and point-to-multipoint wireless solutions, with over three million devices deployed globally. The company’s ambitious roadmap for Africa includes further developments in non-line-of-sight connectivity, cementing its role as a key disruptor in the wireless broadband sector.

This partnership marks a major milestone in NEC XON’s mission to connect the unconnected and advance Africa’s digital transformation.