Google has just inaugurated a second Data Center. The previous Data Center was opened in 2010 and was the first center built outside of the United States. It has played and continues to play an important role in the American company's European infrastructure for the distribution of products in Europe.

Five years after the creation of a first data center, Google has just inaugurated a new data center in Saint-Ghislain. This second center aims to meet the growing need for data computation and storage, in particular owing to the explosion of data from mobile devices (tablets, smartphones, etc.).  A building permit for a third center has already been submitted.

According to the economic consultancy institute Copenhagen Economis, the economic impact of Google's investments in Belgium, namely 250 million over the 2007 to 2014 period, engendered a contribution of €900 million to the Belgian GDP and led to the creation of 1,500 mainly indirect jobs (hospitality, shops, suppliers, sub-contractors, etc.).

Forecasts for 2020, based on forecasts of the activity being doubled, suggests the creation of 3,900 jobs and a return for the Belgian GDP of €1.3 billion, which would bring the total contribution to the Belgian economy to €2.2 billion.