Greykite and White Star deliver Poland's largest data centre

Greykite, an independent European real estate investment firm, its affiliates, and White Star Real Estate have announced several milestones in their Digital Ursus data centre conversion project in Warsaw, including the signing of a long-term lease with a global leader in data centre solutions. This conversion marks the next phase in the site’s transformation from a logistics asset into a data centre hub. As part of this data centre conversion project, Digital Ursus has successfully secured increased power capacity at the 20,000m² project from 18MW currently to 65MW over the next year. The tenant has committed to a long-term lease with significant investment planned to scale the existing operations on-site. Located 8km from downtown Warsaw and 6km from Chopin Airport, the site’s positioning highlights its role as a node in Europe’s rapidly growing data centre landscape. The Polish data centre market is expected to triple by 2029, driven by rising demand for digital services, cloud computing, and colocation solutions. Warsaw remains the key hub, accounting for nearly 70% of the country's commercial colocation and hosting capacity. The rapid growth in data processing is fuelling a growing need for robust digital infrastructure. Michael Abel, Founder and CEO of Greykite, comments, “We are very pleased with the fast value creation that we have been able to showcase in our Digital Ursus data centre project – having signed a long-term lease with a top data centre operator, relocated multiple existing tenants, and increased the power to 65 MW, all within a period of six months. From the outset, we envisioned the Digital Ursus data centre conversion project with White Star as a platform for long-term, strategic investment in a sector benefitting from very compelling tailwinds. The early success of converting the Ursus property into a modern data centre hub represents a validation of that vision and a clear signal of our long-term commitment to digital infrastructure in Europe.” Dan Valenzano, Senior Partner at Greykite, adds, “We are excited to be bringing this unique data centre conversion project forward with our partners at White Star, which highlights Greykite’s hands-on approach to driving value creation. The commitment of one of the key tenants from the data centre sector to the property confirms its new strategic significance for digital infrastructure development in the region.” Dariusz Domański, Managing Partner at White Star, concludes, “Digital Ursus is currently undergoing a dynamic transformation – from a traditional logistics park originally developed by White Star into an infrastructure-ready facility serving modern digital services. This success is the result of close cooperation between all parties and the project’s flexibility, allowing it to respond effectively to evolving market needs.”

Zella DC launches new modular data centre

Zella DC, a designer and manufacturer of indoor and outdoor micro data centres, today announced the launch of its reimagined Zella Max, a purpose-built modular data centre designed for scalable edge deployments. Unlike its predecessor, the new Zella Max is not a repurposed container. Instead, it has been engineered from the ground up. Available in a single size (a 20-foot modular unit), Zella Max is offered in two configurations: • Zella Max 4 — One-door configuration, accommodating up to four Zella Pro micro data centres.• Zella Max 6 — Two-door configuration, housing up to six Zella Pro micro data centres with expanded aisle space and dual access. The latest version of Zella Max brings a number of upgrades: • Purpose-built design — The Zella Max has changed from a retrofitted shipping container into a fully engineered modular structure.• Improved layout — The internal floor space has been reworked for better usability and access.• Configuration options — Options of Zella Max 4 (single access) or Zella Max 6 (dual access) to accommodate different deployment sizes and user access requirements.• Multi-tenancy ready — The design can be configured for shared environments, offering independent access to each unit.• Streamlined manufacturing — The new design facilitates faster production and deployment. The new Zella Max offers certain features: • Fully integrated — Each Zella Pro inside the Max comes pre-installed with precision cooling, power systems, security features, and environmental monitoring.• Secure by design — Advanced access control, surveillance, fire protection, and cybersecurity features.• Deploy anywhere — The Zella Max's compact footprint makes it possible for edge, remote, and space-constrained locations.• Scalable — Option to scale up from 4 to 6 Zella Pro units as needed.• No need for airlocks — Each Zella Pro is sealed and self-contained, protecting equipment from dust and contaminants without requiring internal airlock systems.• Sustainable — Energy-efficient cooling and solar compatibility. For more from Zella DC, click here.

Colovore appoints infrastructure veteran as CEO

Colovore, a leader in ultra-high-density, liquid cooling colocation solutions, today announced the appointment of Jeffrey Springborn as Chief Executive Officer. A seasoned operator in data centre development and cloud services, Jeffrey intends to guide the company through its next phase of growth as it scales a national buildout strategy across the USA to meet rising demand for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure. Jeffrey joins Colovore on the heels of a $925 million financing facility with Blackstone to fuel expansion of its AI data centre platform in key US metro markets. Driven by strong demand for mission-critical infrastructure that supports enterprise planning and multi-market deployments, Colovore is expanding into key US metro markets. New high-density, liquid-cooled facilities are being developed to align with customer roadmaps, enabling partners to secure capacity and shape infrastructure rollouts that match long-term AI and HPC growth. “AI infrastructure needs are evolving faster than most data centres can adapt,” says Jeffrey Springborn, the new CEO of Colovore. “Colovore is building what tomorrow demands—today. The customers we’re partnering with aren’t just early adopters, they’re forward-thinking leaders who see what’s coming and are preparing for it now. They know that to stay ahead in AI, you can’t wait for capacity. You have to secure the right infrastructure before the rush. With the backing of King Street, that’s exactly what we’re enabling them to do.” Colovore Board Chairman and Managing Partner of King Street Capital Brian Higgins comments, ‘"I'm pleased to announce Jeff Springborn as Colovore's new CEO. We identified Jeff as the leader with the right experience to accelerate our growth in the AI infrastructure market. His 30 years of technology leadership and infrastructure expertise will be crucial as we expand our liquid-cooled data centres nationwide. Jeff complements the strong foundation built by Sean and Peter, positioning Colovore to meet the surging demand for AI-ready infrastructure. The Board is confident in Jeff's ability to execute our strategic vision in this next phase of growth." “Smart companies are locking in infrastructure now to avoid being left behind later,” states Jeffrey. “We’re not just building data centres—we’re shaping the AI backbone of tomorrow.” For more from Colovore, click here.

Roxtec Middle East reports record data centre sales growth

The Middle East’s rapid development in the data centre sector, supercharged by AI and cloud computing demand, is driving growth in the region for safety seal manufacturer Roxtec. Dubai-headquartered Roxtec Middle East is expanding from working on six data centre projects in 2023 to more than 20 in 2025, including programmes for major global players and AI ‘hyperscalers’. Swedish-owned Roxtec today announced it is gearing up for more demand for its products over the next 18 months, following the recent development deal to allow the UAE to buy large volumes of US-made AI chips, announced during President Trump’s recent visit to the region, and deals signed by major American companies to develop the AI sector. In a major development, the UAE and US have signed an agreement for the Gulf country to build the largest artificial intelligence campus outside the US. The 10-square-mile AI campus in Abu Dhabi will be powered by a five gigawatt data centre and will be operated by American companies and supported by Emirati firms G42 and MGX. The initiative includes collaborations with major tech companies such as Nvidia, OpenAI, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft. These partnerships aim to position the Gulf region as a global leader in AI development. Roxtec, a global leader in the manufacture of cable and pipe transit systems, based in the Jebel Ali Freezone, has revealed it is currently in discussions with several companies looking to develop and build the next generation of HPC (High-Performance Computing) data centres, designed to handle intensive AI and Big Data workloads. The company provides specialised seals for cable and pipe penetrations that secure data centres against fire, water ingress, and air leakage, and protect against electromagnetic interferences that can create outages. The sector now represents more than 25% of its infrastructure business unit sales with a potential to reach 50% in the next 18 months. Roxtec is currently active on projects in the Gulf states of UAE, Qatar, and Oman, including new-build centres as well as refit and refurbishment work. The high energy efficiency needs of ever-larger centres which house the supercomputers that run AI systems, and the climate change and environmental challenges being faced across the region, are increasing the demand for resilience. A shift towards modular construction is also helping Roxtec’s growth and scale-up plans as a valuable part of the supply chain. To cater to the growing needs of the market, Roxtec is launching two new products for the Middle East: FlamePlus, which offers a sealing system, addressing the shift toward modular and prefabricated builds, and its Software Suite, which offers a digital lifecycle management platform for cable and pipe transits. In addition, Roxtec has confirmed appointment of a dedicated manager in Abu Dhabi for its data centre operation. Mohammed Abrar, Roxtec Business Unit Head of Infrastructure and Industry, says, “We’re seeing massive demand for our products, powered by the continued rise of AI, the increasing capacity that is required and the large-scale investments that are building a flourishing ecosystem. We’re forecasting that the growth we are seeing will accelerate even further on the back of the continued development of the sector across the Middle East, driven by massive US collaboration and the focus of governments in the region to unlock the opportunities AI presents. “That focus on partnerships in AI and data centres means billions of dollars being poured into their construction, putting Gulf nations at the forefront of the new technology and AI development, which is great news for the supply chain. We are currently working with a number of tech giants, including global hyperscalers. The speed of development is continually increasing, with new centres going from the design stage to build completion in as little as 11 months. “With increasing capacity in these centres and their high energy efficiency needs, there is great demand for airtight sealing to avoid cooling loss. HPC data centres require significant liquid cooling and, as a result, the management of a myriad of pipes. Operators are putting special focus on seals as they work to manage cooling and recycle excess heat. As a result, our expertise and range of products are proving invaluable. We have developed industry leading tools for managing cable and pipe transits. “Climate change and environmental challenges, including sandstorms, unprecedented rainfall, and flash floods, are creating more demand for resilient sealing solutions and we are supporting a number of clients as they look to protect their infrastructure from these threats. “Our expertise in the complete project life cycle, from design to supply and installation, coupled with training and inspection services, is giving us an edge. As the world moves towards increased reliance on data centres and AI, robust infrastructure is essential. A shift towards modular construction is also helping create demand for our services, with our specifically designed solutions that support faster instillations on these sites.”

Schneider Electric launches first site in Dubai

Schneider Electric, a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today launched its first Impact Building in Dubai as part of its new Impact Buildings Program. Schneider Electric’s Impact Buildings Program aims to drive sustainability through its global commercial real estate using EcoStruxure solutions, software, and services. These include EcoStruxure Building Operation, Power Monitoring Expert, Building Data Platform, and Planon Integrated Workplace Management. The interconnectivity of these solutions intends to drive sustainability, resilience, and efficiency, as well as improving occupant experience and demonstrating how the combination of electrification and digitalisation - termed ‘Electricity 4.0’ by Schneider Electric - can transform sites into next-generation buildings. The NEST, Schneider Electric’s new office in Dubai, UAE, is over 10,000sqm, catering to more than 1,000 employees and is home to Dubai’s first Schneider Electric Global Innovation Hub, an experience area where customers can have a hands-on demonstration of EcoStruxure solutions. It will also host a dedicated Training Centre for customers and partners, and will focus on youth empowerment by developing local talent and equipping the next generation with skills to drive the region’s clear energy future. The NEST expects an energy consumption reduction of 37% compared to the previous local site and a targeted saving of 572 metric tons of CO₂ emissions, the equivalent to the annual electrical power consumed by around 77 homes. The Impact Buildings Program will roll out across additional new sites, as well as existing buildings by retrofit, over the next 18 months. Manish Kumar, Executive Vice President, Digital Energy at Schneider Electric, says, “We are walking the talk and creating the vision of what’s possible by transforming our own sites to show that buildings must evolve to meet tomorrow's business needs. Now is the time to rethink buildings. We are shaping a future where buildings don't just stand - they intelligently adapt and seamlessly connect to your business, your people, and your purpose. With EcoStruxure and Planon enterprise software, we are redefining building operations.” Commenting on the building launch in Dubai, Olivier Blum, Chief Executive Officer, Schneider Electric, adds, “The NEST is more than a building. It is a statement of intent. We are honoured to have inaugurated this landmark project in the UAE, which demonstrates how digitalisation and electrification can accelerate national net zero goals while creating world-class environments for people to collaborate, innovate, and grow. This new Dubai hub is the first of Schneider Electric’s Global Impact Buildings program and showcases how smart, connected technologies can revolutionise the built environment, setting new standards for innovative and sustainable commercial spaces while prioritising occupant well-being.” For more from Schneider Electric, click here.

Panasonic and Tecnair’s split solution for critical environments

Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions, a division of Panasonic that provides energy-efficient climate control systems, has collaborated with Tecnair, a supplier of custom pneumatic engineering solutions, to introduce a comprehensive split solution designed for critical environments up to 21 kW. This solution marks a milestone in precise cooling technology, combining Panasonic's outdoor PACi NX condensing units with Tecnair's P Series direct expansion (DX) units. The system utilises R32 refrigerant, known for its low Global Warming Potential (GWP), with the aim to ensure effective cooling with minimal environmental impact. It is intended as a solution for environments where precise temperature and humidity control is crucial, yet space and load capacities are limited. Examples include laboratories, museums, archives, office buildings, and server rooms with compact equipment and small capacity requirements. The Computer Room Air Conditioning (CRAC) DX unit provides control of indoor climate, maintaining strict parameters for temperature and humidity. The control system on the P Series units offers full Modbus control, featuring a Wide Full Graphic LCD display, configurable digital inputs-outputs, and predictive safety systems. The system’s design allows integration into various settings, while a compact footprint maximises space. Energy-conscious users are likely to appreciate its reportedly low operating costs and energy efficiency. Additionally, a wide selection of accessories enables customisation to meet specific needs. Designed for quiet operation, the system places the compressor outdoors, reducing noise levels. Installation is versatile, with the ability to connect indoor and outdoor units across distances of up to 100 metres. For larger applications, the system supports networked configurations, allowing up to 12 CRAC units to be cascaded for expanded coverage and precise climate control. Panasonic says its collaboration with Tecnair reflects a commitment to innovation and market responsiveness, offering solutions that reduce design, manufacturing, and operational costs, and that the range of units and accessories ensures the ability to meet diverse design and installation specifications.

ZincFive expands global reach with EMEA warehouse

ZincFive, a world leader in nickel-zinc (NiZn) battery-based solutions for immediate power applications, today announced a major milestone in its global growth strategy with the establishment of a new warehouse and service depot in Europe. The facility, operated in collaboration with Akkuteam Energietechnik GmBH, will support delivery of ZincFive batteries and spare parts across the EMEA region and beyond. This certified customs warehouse enables transit of batteries and components through Europe, streamlining exports to non-EU countries such as those in the Middle East. It also aims to advance ZincFive’s sustainability goals by reducing shipping-related emissions and improving logistics efficiency. The move comes in response to accelerating international demand for ZincFive’s nickel-zinc technology. With many European installations still relying on legacy lead-acid systems, there is a growing appetite for safer, more sustainable, and high-performance alternatives. “This is more than a logistical move – it’s a signal of our long-term commitment to the EMEA market,” says ZincFive CEO Tim Hysell. “Our values of innovation, sustainability, and reliability are mirrored in this new partnership. With a facility designed for efficient, environmentally responsible battery logistics, we’re not just expanding our footprint – we’re doing it the right way. We’re investing where demand is real and growing – this isn’t speculative; it’s a response to the strong pull we’re seeing from European and Middle Eastern markets.” Akkuteam, a family-run company with a 25-year history in backup power solutions, brings expertise in battery storage and handling, operating with a focus on quality and environmental stewardship. Power demand is rising across sectors – and especially in data centres, including the fast-emerging AI segment. ZincFive's patented nickel-zinc chemistry seeks to deliver safe, sustainable, and high-performance energy storage and to challenge the dominance of lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries. The ZincFive BC Series UPS Battery Cabinets – including the latest BC 2–500 and BC 2–300X models – were developed with the aim to offer an industry-leading footprint while delivering greater power to meet the escalating demands of modern infrastructure. For more from ZincFive, click here.

VAST Data unveils its operating system for the 'thinking machine'

VAST Data, a technology company focused on artificial intelligence and deep learning computing infrastructure, today announced the result of nearly a decade of development with the unveiling of the VAST AI Operating System (OS), a platform purpose-built for the next wave of AI breakthroughs. As AI redefines the fabric of business and society, the industry again finds itself at the dawn of a new computing paradigm – one where great numbers of intelligent agents will reason, communicate, and act across a global grid of millions of GPUs that are woven across edge deployments, AI factories and cloud data centres. To make this world accessible, programmable, and operational at extreme scale, a new generation of intelligent systems requires a new software foundation. The VAST AI OS is the product of nearly ten years of engineering with the aim to create an intelligent platform architecture that can harness the new generation of AI supercomputing machinery and unlock the potential of AI at scale. The platform is built on VAST’s Disaggregated Shared-Everything (DASE) architecture, a parallel distributed system architecture – making it possible to parallelise AI and analytics workloads, federate clusters into a unified computing and data cloud, and then feed new AI workloads with high amounts of data from one tier of storage. Today, DASE clusters support over 1 million GPUs around the world in many of the world’s most data-intensive computing centres. The scope of the AI OS is broad and is intended to consolidate disparate legacy IT technologies into one modern offering. “This isn’t a product release — it’s a milestone in the evolution of computing,” says Renen Hallak, Founder & CEO of VAST Data. “We’ve spent the past decade reimagining how data and intelligence converge. Today, we’re proud to unveil the AI Operating System for a world that is no longer built around applications — but around agents.” The AI OS consists of every aspect of a distributed system to run AI at a global scale: a kernel to run platform services on from private to public cloud, a runtime to deploy AI agents with, eventing infrastructure for real-time event processing, messaging infrastructure, and a distributed file and database storage system that can be used for real-time data capture and analytics. In 2024, VAST previewed the VAST InsightEngine – a service that extracts context from unstructured data using AI embedding tools. If the VAST InsightEngine prepares data for AI using AI, VAST AgentEngine is how AI now comes to life with data – an auto-scaling AI agent deployment runtime that aims to equip users with a low-code environment to build workflows, select reasoning models, define agent tools, and operationalise reasoning. The AgentEngine features a new AI agent tool server that provides support for agents to invoke data, metadata, functions, web search, or other agents using them as MCP-compatible tools. AgentEngine allows agents to assume multiple personas with different purpose and security credentials, and provides secure, real-time access to different tools. The platform’s scheduler and fault-tolerant queuing mechanisms are also intended to ensure agent resilience against machine or service failure. Just as operating systems ship with pre-built utilities, the VAST AgentEngine will feature a set of open-source agents that VAST will release (one per month). Some personal assistants will be tailored to industry use cases, whereas others will be designed for general purpose use. Examples include: ● A reasoning chatbot, powered by all of an organisation’s VAST data ● A data engineering agent to curate data automatically ● A prompt engineer to help optimise AI workflow inputs ● An agent agent, to automate the deployment, evaluation, and improvement of agents ● A compliance agent, to enforce data and activity level regulatory compliance ● An editor agent, to create rich media content ● A life sciences researcher, to assist with bioinformatic discovery In the spirit of enabling organisations to build on the VAST AI OS, VAST Data will be hosting VAST Forward, a series of global workshops, both in-person and online, throughout the year. These workshops will include training on components of the OS and sessions on how to develop on the platform. For more from VAST, click here.

Eaton delivers energy savings in its new UPS

Eaton, an intelligent power management company, has announced the launch of its 9PX Gen2 5-11kW UPS, a new product that adds benefits to its 9PX solution through advanced technology upgrades and customer-centric enhancements. It seeks to deliver best-in-class power management and battery backup for critical equipment in data centres, distributed IT, edge networks, network closets, and server rooms. Eaton DPQ Product Line Manager Christophe Jammes comments, “Our latest UPS delivers market-leading efficiency of up to 97.2% in the 11kW unit thanks to innovative silicon carbide (SiC) components that not only use less power, and therefore cut energy bills, but also put operators one step ahead in emissions reduction. “When it comes to physical footprint,” he adds, “9PX Gen2 is the compact UPS that leads the way, delivering 11kW in just 4U. It offers an unmatched and Energy Star-qualified 11% more power in a space 33% smaller than its predecessor.” Every 9PX Gen2 UPS comes with a cybersecure Gigabit Network Card – enabling remote configuration, management, and upgrade of the entire UPS fleet, including full integration with Eaton’s Brightlayer Data Centers suite. Speaking of the product’s features, Christophe says, “In what we believe to be a UPS ’world first’, flexible ‘combo’ C39 outlets securely connect both C14 and C20 power cords – ending the guessing game of attempting to specify the required number of C13 (10A) and C19 (16A) outlets.” Predictive machine learning pinpoints timing for battery replacement by fast, convenient ‘hot swap’ – preventing unexpected downtime and the unnecessary expense of replacing batteries too soon. Optimised ABM+ charging also increases battery lifespan by up to 50%. 9PX Gen2 comes with a three-year warranty on electronic components and a two-year warranty on batteries (full three-year upon registration). There is also the option to extend coverage for the longer term to up to seven years of protection and support. For more from Eaton, click here.

Cloudera delivers AI-powered data visualisation in data centres

Cloudera, a hybrid platform for data, analytics, and AI, today announced the latest release of Cloudera Data Visualization, extending its AI capabilities to customers operating in on-premises environments. This new AI tool is intended to democratise insights across the full data lifecycle by enabling data engineers, business analysts, and data scientists to communicate, collaborate, and share insights seamlessly, without compromising data security or governance. Enterprises often struggle to appropriately visualise data due to silos across multiple platforms, complex integrations, and data governance limitations. Without a unified view, data visualisation can be incomplete or misleading, often resulting in ineffective decision-making. Cloudera Data Visualization, now available on-premises, seeks to provide secure and integrated AI capabilities native to the Cloudera platform, as well as to empower organisations to self-service visualisation across multi-cloud and hybrid environments and the entire data lifecycle. The idea is to enable users to unlock the value of their on-prem data through out-of-the-box picturing and natural language querying. “As enterprises continue to prioritise both multi-cloud and hybrid environments, they need to see their data as a part of a bigger picture,” says Leo Brunnick, Chief Product Officer at Cloudera. “Bringing together AI-driven insights, secure infrastructure, and seamless collaboration in one unified platform, users can see the missing puzzle pieces of their data, wherever they may be. It’s not just about being able to see the data, it’s about seeing how it all fits together to deliver business-critical insights.” “As data becomes the most strategic asset for modern enterprises, Indian businesses are under growing pressure to unlock actionable insights in real time. However, fragmented architectures and evolving data governance demands impede this progress," highlights Piyush Agarwal, SE Leader, India, Cloudera. "With Cloudera Data Visualization now available in on-premises environments, we are empowering organisations to access AI-powered insights securely, while maintaining complete control over their infrastructure. This launch underscores our commitment to supporting Indian enterprises in becoming more agile, compliant, and insight-driven amid a rapidly evolving AI and data-first economy”. “By integrating directly with Cloudera’s unified platform, users benefit from a consistent experience, enhanced collaboration, and full lifecycle data exploration - all while retaining full control over their own infrastructure,” explains industry analyst, Sanjeev Mohan. “Now, Cloudera users can picture and share insights securely within their on-prem environment, allowing their teams to be more agile and informed in their decision-making.”