News

Sabey announces Austin Building B

Sabey Data Centers, a data centre developer, owner, and operator, has announced that construction is under way for Building B on its growing Austin campus, located in the burgeoning tech corridor of Round Rock, Texas. This three-storey facility is designed to deliver a total of 54 megawatts of power capacity, with the first 18 megawatts expected to be ready for service in Q3 2027. Sabey says Austin B continues its commitment to building "scalable, energy-efficient digital infrastructure tailored for enterprise and hyperscale needs." The facility is liquid-cooling-ready by design, building on Austin Building A, where 86% of current deployments are liquid-cooled. This next phase of development hopes to ensure that Sabey is well-positioned to support the rising demand for high-density compute environments such as AI, HPC, and advanced research workloads. “As we continue to expand our national footprint, launching construction on Austin B represents an important milestone in serving one of the country’s fastest-growing technology markets,” comments Tim Mirick, President of Sabey Data Centers. “The Round Rock facility is purpose-built for flexibility and efficiency, and it offers an ideal home for forward-thinking customers with evolving density needs.” Preleasing is now open, with the building being engineered to accommodate a range of cooling strategies and power densities, including hybrid and liquid-cooled deployments exceeding 200 kilowatts per rack. Sabey Data Centers is a joint venture between Sabey Corporation and National Real Estate Advisors, acting as the investment manager on behalf of its institutional clients. For more from Sabey, click here.

Mayflex signs distribution agreement with Schleifenbauer

Mayflex, a UK-based distributor of converged IP infrastructure, networking, and electronic security products, has announced a new distribution agreement with Schleifenbauer, adding the Netherlands-based manufacturer’s power distribution units (PDUs) and energy management tools to the Elevate brand’s data centre infrastructure portfolio. The partnership aims to support Mayflex’s ongoing focus on high-performance computing (HPC) and data centre (DC) environments, with a particular emphasis on providing equipment that is efficient, scalable, and compliant with European standards. Schleifenbauer, which designs and manufactures its products in the Netherlands, will supply intelligent PDUs and related energy management software for integration into the Elevate range. The collaboration hopes to enhance delivery times and flexibility, particularly for UK and Ireland customers. Product and operational features The partnership will see the inclusion of several features designed to improve operational performance and ease of use across data centre projects: • European manufacturing — All Schleifenbauer equipment is produced in the Netherlands, allowing for consistent quality control, shorter lead times, and full EU regulatory compliance. • Customisable production — The company offers a flexible manufacturing model with no minimum order requirements. This allows Mayflex customers to request individual units for trial projects, or bulk orders for larger-scale deployment, while maintaining consistent performance standards. • Energy monitoring software — Schleifenbauer’s energy management platform is available at no extra cost. The software enables real-time monitoring and optimisation of energy usage across installations. • Hot-swappable modules — PDUs include hot-swappable control components, enabling updates or maintenance without downtime. • Short lead times — Schleifenbauer’s production model supports faster turnaround and delivery times, which Mayflex aims to leverage across the Elevate product range. Comments from the companies Simon Jacobs, Product Manager at Mayflex, says, “We’re excited to welcome Schleifenbauer as a technology partner to our Elevate brand. Their intelligent power solutions are a perfect fit for our growing data centre portfolio. "The combination of European manufacturing, rapid lead times, and advanced features - like hot-swappable modules and free energy management software - makes this a compelling proposition for our customers.” Stuart Edmonds, UK and Ireland Sales Manager at Schleifenbauer, adds, “Partnering with Mayflex is a strategic move that allows us to expand our reach in the UK and Ireland. "Mayflex’s reputation for technical excellence and customer service aligns perfectly with our values. Together, we’re well-positioned to support the evolving needs of the HPC and data centre markets.”

Zayo Europe sees network expansion across UK and Germany

Network infrastructure provider Zayo Europe has reported a 61% increase in the total number of route miles it powers during the first half of 2025, compared to the second half of 2024. The growth has been spread across multiple European markets, with notable increases in the UK (241%) and Germany (173%). The company has attributed part of this expansion to its partnership with GasLINE. The figures reflect the momentum built since Zayo Europe became an independent entity in mid-2024. Since then, the company has focused on delivering network infrastructure across Europe’s complex and highly interconnected digital landscape. A major part of Zayo Europe’s current strategy involves increasing connectivity between data centres. The company now connects 600 sites across the continent, supporting digital services used by businesses, enterprises, and consumers. Alongside network expansion, Zayo Europe has also grown its workforce. Headcount rose by 10% during H1 2025, with roles added across delivery, customer service, finance, and internal operations. Further expansion is expected in the second half of the year, following Zayo Europe’s full acquisition of the Emerald Bridge subsea cable. The system provides G.652D dark fibre and high-capacity wave services between the UK and Dublin, Ireland. In the company's own words Colman Deegan, CEO at Zayo Europe, claims, “We always viewed H1 2025 as a pivotal period for Zayo Europe, marking a full year since we established ourselves as an independent entity. "While growth has always been a key success metric, the pace at which our best-in-class fibre infrastructure is now connecting data centres and points of presence across major European markets is especially encouraging as we look ahead to the remainder of 2025 and beyond. “Our continued network expansion not only enhances our service capabilities but also empowers our customers with greater reach, flexibility, and resilience, enabling them to scale operations, optimise performance, and react to evolving demands with confidence. “The growth achieved so far this year is testament to the strength and dedication of our team at Zayo Europe. Service excellence is in our DNA and is frequently cited as a driving force behind our ability to secure new partnerships and mission-critical connectivity projects. "That said, we’re not standing still. We’re aiming to continue this momentum throughout the rest of the year and well into 2026.” For more from Zayo Europe, click here.

Nxtra signs partnership with AMPIN

Indian data centre operator Nxtra (by Airtel) has signed a new agreement with AMPIN Energy Transition for an additional 125.65 MW of solar-wind hybrid energy via Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) connected projects. This brings the total renewable energy capacity supplied to Nxtra by AMPIN to more than 200 MW. The added capacity will be delivered in two phases, through captive projects located in Rajasthan and Karnataka. These will complement AMPIN’s existing supply of solar energy to Nxtra through intra-state, open access arrangements in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha. Under the new agreement, AMPIN will expand its service to 11 additional states and introduce new technologies, including large-scale ISTS-based renewable energy and consolidated supply from a single Independent Power Producer (IPP). Ashish Arora, CEO of Nxtra, says, “Sustainability is not just a commitment, it is our responsibility and our opportunity to lead. "By powering our digital infrastructure with over 200 MW of renewable energy through our partnership with AMPIN, we are setting new standards for the industry. "This achievement highlights our leadership in using ISTS-backed clean energy to power our facilities sustainably, boosting reliability, and ensuring tangible climate impact. "At Nxtra, we are determined to drive innovation and inspire action, ensuring that our operations not only support India’s digital growth but also protect its environment for generations to come.” Pinaki Bhattacharyya, founder, Managing Director, and CEO of AMPIN, adds, “With this partnership, we demonstrate that through a seamless blend of inter-state and intra-state renewable energy solutions backed by a pan-India presence, we can take any customer through a nearly 100% energy transition. "Nxtra by Airtel, a leader in the data and fast-growing data centre space, shares our vision for sustainability and we are proud to make data centres green by this association.” AMPIN’s approach aims to establish long-term relationships with customers by offering energy supply across various technologies and regions. It says the collaboration with Nxtra highlights the role of large-scale renewable energy agreements in increasing operational efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. Nxtra, likewise, says it has committed to reaching net zero emissions and is aligning its efforts with Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) guidance. As part of this effort, the company is implementing a range of measures to reduce its direct (scope 1) and indirect (scope 2) greenhouse gas emissions. In June 2024, Nxtra joined the global RE100 initiative, pledging to source 100% of its electricity from renewable sources. It became the first data centre operator in India, and the 14th Indian company overall, to join the programme. For more from Nxtra, click here.

EUDCA announces Board of Directors for 2025/27

Further to member voting during its annual general meeting (AGM) held on 11 June 2025, the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA), the representative body of the European data centre community, has announced its Board of Directors to steer it up to 2027. Board members met subsequently to appoint key positions and renew the mandates of existing committees and their leadership. A new Board to serve the EUDCA for 2025/27 Technical expertise, extensive experience, and commercial acumen is abundant across the Board, with knowledge spanning the entire data centre lifecycle, from investment and design to sustainability/ESG and operations. The EUDCA says that the "combined expertise of the Board is instrumental for the Association to advocate and serve its members." The Board now comprises of the following: • Lex Coors, Digital Realty — President of EUDCA & Policy Committee Chair• Laurens van Reijen, LCL Data Centres — Treasurer• Bruce Owen, Equinix — Vice President• Marie Chabanon, Data4 — Vice President, EUDCA & Technical Committee Chair• Isabelle Kemlin, Swedish Datacenter Industry Association — Vice President• Dick Theunissen, EdgeConneX — Vice President, EUDCA & NTA representative• Matt Pullen, CyrusOne — Board Member, EUDCA & CNDCP Chair• Adam Eaton, Global Switch — Board Member• Andrew Harrison, Arup — Board Member• Matthew Baynes, Schneider Electric — Board Member, EUDCA & NTA representative• Antoine Lesserteur, France Datacenter — Board Member• Stijn Grove, Dutch Data Center Association — Board Member, EUDCA & NTA representative• Michael Winterson, EUDCA — Secretary General Leading the EUDCA Lex Coors, Chief Data Center Technology and Engineering Officer at Digital Realty, unanimously retained his position as elected President to guide board and association operations. Michael Winterson continues as Secretary General, with Laurens van Reijen of LCL Data Centers as Treasurer. The EUDCA board also appointed four new Vice Presidents: Bruce Owen, Equinix; Marie Chabanon, Data4; Isabelle Kemlin, Swedish Datacenter Industry Association; and Dick Theunissen, EdgeConneX. As a founding member of the Climate Neutral Data Center Pact (CNDCP), the EUDCA maintains a permanent Board seat at the Pact. As such, the EUDCA says it is happy to re-appoint Board Member Matt Pullen as the representative to the Pact where he will maintain his Chair position. Michael Winterson, Secretary General, EUDCA, comments, “As Europe moves to deliver its goals for a booming digital economy and strong AI sector, its dependence upon digital infrastructure has never been more critical. "The EUDCA continues to serve as the independent voice for Europe’s data centre community, connecting with policy makers to add nuance to the legislative process for regulations that advance digital growth. “The EUDCA remains a trusted and authoritative voice for the data centre industry. In a world of changing sentiments, we maintain a focus on the efficiency and sustainability of data centre services through our close association with the CNDCP. "As a board, we remain committed to being at the forefront of shaping policy within Europe, protecting the interests of our constituents whilst looking after the planet.” EUDCA committees bolster leadership Having renewed the mandates of existing committees with some restructuring, the Policy Committee sees Lex Coors reappointed as Chair and Eve Fensome (Stack Infrastructure) as Deputy Chair. The Technical Committee will be led by Marie Chabanon as Chair and Chad McCarthy (nLighten) as Deputy Chair. National trade associations work with the EUDCA From the national trade associations, the three existing representatives - Stijn Grove, Dutch Data Center Association; Antoine Lesserteur, France Datacenter; and Isabelle Kemlin, Swedish Datacenter Industry Association - were confirmed as part of the board. For more from the EUDCA, click here.

Sitehop, Red Helix testing quantum-ready encryption

Sitehop, a UK startup focused on quantum encryption, has announced its partnership with Red Helix, a network and security testing company, to bring advanced testing in-house and to "supercharge" the critical speed-testing of its encrypted data transmission, utilising a Teledyne LeCroy Xena system. With support from a five-figure 'productivity grant' from South Yorkshire Mayoral Authority, Sitehop has invested in a Teledyne LeCroy Xena Loki 100G traffic-generation and testing platform, which enables bi-directional testing of sub-microsecond latency in 100Gbps networks. Bringing testing in-house has also reportedly eliminated delays and risks in export and customs, which included a minimum two-week turnaround at more than £18,000 per testing cycle. Previously, Sitehop relied on an outsourced facility in France, but the new UK-based set up enables them to complete testing in a single day, freeing the time of Sitehop’s engineering teams and boosting their productivity. Sitehop uses the Xena Loki device to test and validate its Sitehop SAFEcore platform, capable of 835 nanoseconds latency at 100Gbps encryption. The platform can support 4,000 concurrent connections, deploying "crypto-agile" encryption for use in sectors such as telecoms, financial services, government, and critical national infrastructure. Testing with the Xena Loki device covers peak load conditions, burst traffic, error injection and fault recovery, and end-to-end encrypted traffic flows. Multi-stream stress tests, mixed protocol environments, and real-time encrypted traffic benchmarking are part of the processes. According to the company, the "speed and accuracy" of the Xena Loki platform enables Sitehop to validate latency, throughput, packet-loss, and error-handling across different profiles. This is important to prove the Sitehop SAFEcore platform has the necessary performance and resilience in high-bandwidth, low-latency environments and is ready for new use cases such as 5G backhaul, wearable security technology, and the evolution of post-quantum cryptography. “Testing in this way is a strategic enabler for us, accelerating product release cycles and reducing the risk of field failure while providing clients with higher levels of confidence during procurement,” says Melissa Chambers, co-founder and CEO of Sitehop. “This is a major selling-point for enterprise and critical infrastructure environments.” “We are incredibly proud to be at the forefront of the next generation of British tech manufacturing and believe we are part of a resurgence of innovation in the UK. We are proving that deep tech, hardware innovation, and cyber resilience can thrive here. "As we expand globally and target high-assurance sectors, our ability to validate performance independently and rapidly becomes a cornerstone of our growth model. The grant we received has been hugely important, enabling us to bring a critical capability in-house that has accelerated our growth momentum.” Baseline validation using the Xena Loki device is in line with the benchmarks RFC 2544 and Y.1564. In practice, however, the Sitehop SAFEcore system - the company claims - "frequently outperforms the scope of traditional methodologies, requiring custom profiles including simulated threat-scenarios, multi-session encrypted traffic under dynamic key exchange, and adaptive stream-shaping." Liam Jackson, Director of Technology Solutions at Red Helix, comments, “We are thrilled to work with Sitehop, an exciting start-up company demonstrating that hardware-based security innovation is alive and well in the UK. "Testing quantum-ready security platforms requires precise accuracy, reliability, and sustained high-speed throughput, which software-only traffic-generation tools can struggle to deliver. "Sitehop understands this, and by harnessing the hardware-based Teledyne LeCroy Xena Loki platform, it hugely accelerates essential testing, gaining the speed, precision, and confidence to bring its cutting-edge solutions to market faster without impacting quality.”

DCNN supports new National Data Centre Day initiative

DCNN is proud to support the launch of National Data Centre Day, a new annual awareness initiative recognising the critical role that data centres play in powering the UK’s digital economy, public services, and AI-driven future. Taking place each year on 12 September, the day is set to commemorate the moment in 2021 when data centres were formally recognised by the UK Government as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). This classification reflects their essential role in maintaining the digital systems and services that modern society relies on, from banking and healthcare to smart cities and generative AI. National Data Centre Day aims to celebrate the innovation, sustainability, and skilled people behind the industry, while encouraging greater awareness and engagement across the UK. As one of several industry supporters backing the campaign, DCNN encourages its readers, partners, and the wider community to learn more and get involved. Visit the website to find out how to take part.

Mitsubishi partners with Modius

Japanese multinational engineering company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has signed an agreement with US-based Modius to integrate its OpenData data centre infrastructure management (DCIM) platform with MHI’s power, cooling, and control technologies. The collaboration will focus on delivering a comprehensive offering for data centre energy management (DCEM) on a global scale. Modius’s OpenData DCIM software provides real-time visibility into critical infrastructure, supporting improved capacity planning, energy efficiency, and uptime. The platform has been deployed in over 250 sites worldwide and includes AI/ML-based analytics to support proactive maintenance and operational optimisation. The integration of Modius’s platform into MHI’s data centre portfolio seeks to enhance the company’s ability to offer customers real-time diagnostics, predictive insights, and greater control over facility performance. The OpenData AI/ML module is designed to recognise normal operational patterns and flag anomalies early, allowing data centre operators to "respond before issues escalate." “With the addition of the Modius DCIM platform to our digital portfolio, we can offer enhanced services to both existing and new customers seeking visibility and operational optimisation in next-generation data centres,” claims Shin Gomi, Senior General Manager, DCEM at MHI. “MHI remains committed to supporting sustainable and energy-efficient infrastructure.” Craig Compiano, President at Modius, adds, “MHI’s global presence and its alignment with our mission to drive efficiency, improve sustainability, and optimise performance in data centres make this collaboration a strong match. We look forward to working together to support facilities worldwide.”

Ex-Google Lauri Ikonen joins Polarnode

Polarnode, a Finnish data centre developer that focuses on environmentally sustainable data centre construction and operation, has announced the appointment of Lauri Ikonen as its new Head of Technology, effective from 1 September. The appointment comes as the company accelerates its growth strategy to aim to become a leading data centre platform across the Nordic region. Ikonen joins Polarnode at a time of increasing demand for data centre capacity across the Nordics. He brings more than two decades of experience in large-scale infrastructure, with a particular focus on mission-critical operations, backup power, and cooling technologies. From 2016 to 2023, Ikonen held a series of senior roles at Google’s data centre organisation, including Site Lead and Site Operations Manager at the company’s Hamina campus in Finland. During this period, the site expanded significantly, and daily operations grew to support approximately 400 personnel. More recently, he served as Chief Strategy and Operating Officer at UpCloud, where he was responsible for strategic management, operational oversight, and service reliability across 13 global data centre locations. His earlier career includes leadership roles in ABB’s Power Division, where he worked on industrial-scale infrastructure and service management. “We are thrilled to welcome Lauri to the team,” says Mikko Toivanen, Chair of the Board at Polarnode. “His deep experience in managing and scaling hyperscale data centre infrastructure will be instrumental as we accelerate our development strategy and respond to the growing market need for high-performance, sustainable, and resilient data centre capacity.” In his new role, Ikonen will lead Polarnode’s technology strategy and oversee the design and implementation of upcoming sites. He will also guide the company’s entry into colocation services, supporting its long-term ambition to deliver clean, high-performance infrastructure to support the growing digital economy. “The Nordic region is rapidly becoming a global hub for digital infrastructure,” comments Lauri. “Polarnode is well positioned to lead that transformation with its forward-thinking approach. I’m excited to contribute to its next phase of growth.” Polarnode is 100% Finnish-owned and has so far announced major data centre developments in Lappeenranta, Nokia, and Pori.

Kao Data appoints new Chief Business Officer

Kao Data, a developer and operator of data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing, has announced that Clinton Hasell has been appointed as the company’s new Chief Business Officer. A seasoned, board-level executive with over 30 years of commercial and operational experience across the data centre, telecoms, and digital infrastructure sectors, Clinton has been named Chief Business Officer to spearhead the optimisation of Kao Data’s core business operations. This includes the key responsibility for the company’s technology deployments and enterprise-level reporting. Within his new role, Clinton will also lead the development function for Kao Data’s advanced infrastructure platform, aligning the organisation’s UK and European expansion plans. “I am excited to move into my new role as Chief Business Officer and to work together with both our C-Suite and our talented organisational teams to help drive the company’s growth objectives from inception to delivery,” comments Clinton Hasell, new Chief Business Officer, Kao Data. “Kao Data has established a market-leading position as a data centre developer and operator at the bleeding edge of AI deployment and it’s fitting we use the power of AI and advanced computing to deliver true business transformation.” “On behalf of the company and our board, I am delighted to welcome Clinton Hasell to the Senior Management Team as our new Chief Business Officer, and at a time of transformation and evolution for the company,” says David Bloom, founder and Executive Chairman, Kao Data. “Clinton has been a key part of our team for some time within a consultancy capacity, and it’s a fantastic endorsement of our future plans and ambitions that we have permanently secured his contribution as we develop new sites to scale our data centre platform across the UK and Europe.” Prior to joining Kao Data, Clinton was a member of the Global Switch management team where, as Executive Group Director, Europe, he was responsible for maximising profitable growth across its European division. He also held senior leadership roles at Interxion, from its $1 billion (£744 million) IPO in 2011 to its $8 billion (£5.95 billion) acquisition by Digital Realty Trust in 2020. For more from Kao Data, click here.