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Equinix, Inc., the world's digital infrastructure company™, announced plans to build a new International Business Exchange™ (IBX®) data center in the Agecroft Commerce Park in Salford, Manchester, UK. As the UK's second-largest city, Manchester occupies a key strategic location at the intersection of the UK's highly resilient "figure-of-eight" fibre-optic network. The new IBX—called MA5—will be Equinix's fifth data center in the Greater Manchester area and is scheduled to open in Q2 2022.
Manchester is Europe's second-largest creative, digital and media hub, housing MediaCity UK—one of the world's most advanced media centers and home to the BBC's headquarters. The city has a fast-growing technology scene, noted for eCommerce, and an emerging start-up ecosystem. It is home to low-latency connectivity through network routes to the United States and has access to international subsea cables via Ireland and the West of England.
UK Science and Innovation Minister George Freeman, said: "The UK is one of the world's most digitally advanced economies. Through government and industry working together we are investing in new 5G and next-generation digital technologies to support UK businesses to build back better from the pandemic.
"Equinix's new Manchester data center will not only help to create well-paying jobs across Manchester and the wider North West, but will also make sure businesses have the digital technology needed to succeed and grow in global markets."
Lorraine Wilkinson, Vice President of Sales, UK, Equinix, noted: "With a rich industrial history, Manchester has long been one of the UK's leading cities for business, catering to globally renowned companies and start-ups looking to grow and scale their operations. MA5 will provide high-speed connectivity to the North of England, facilitating the next generation of digital transformation within the region. The new site will bring Equinix's total investment in Manchester to over £130 million, and £1 billion+ in the UK's digital infrastructure as a whole."
MA5 has been designed for high density deployments in support of digital transformation projects across industries. It will offer state-of-the-art colocation, interconnection and edge services, including Equinix Fabric™, Equinix Internet Exchange® and Network Edge nodes, making MA5 an attractive new interconnection hub and remote geo-redundant deployment location for London.
Russell Poole, Managing Director, UK, Equinix, added: "This new investment is a significant addition to our existing portfolio in the UK. The site will cater to the growing number of enterprises—both regionally and internationally—that require ultra-low-latency connectivity to remain competitive. MA5 forms part of a wider investment in the UK's digital infrastructure, and further cements Britain's position as one of the most important markets globally to do business."
Findings from the Equinix 2020-21 Global Tech Trends Survey revealed that in the UK, almost 8 out of 10 (79%) respondents said they agree Britain will remain a world-leading international business hub for the next five years. Additionally, over three-quarters (78%) agree Britain will remain a world-leading international technology hub over the same period.
Additional Insight
Katie Gallagher, Managing Director, Manchester Digital: "Greater Manchester continues to be a thriving region for both global tech companies and start-ups. We're pleased Equinix is opening their fifth data center here, which will bring with it even more career opportunities for the tech industry, as well as supporting the city's digital infrastructure. We look forward to working closely with Equinix to support and develop the tech industry across the city as it continues to grow."
Highlights/Key Facts
Equinix's new flagship site in Manchester will offer premium colocation and interconnection services for customers. The Phase 1 build will provide 3,600 m2 colocation space. Upon completion of all planned phases, the full site is expected to provide 6,480 m2 of colocation space, with 2,000 cabinets. MA5 is due to have excellent connectivity to the MA1/MA4 Campus, MA3, and Equinix's London and Dublin IBX and xScale™ sites.
Equinix is a leader in data center sustainability and has recently announced its global science-based targets, committing to reach climate-neutral by 2030. Equinix's long-term goal of using 100% clean and renewable energy for its global platform has resulted in significant increases in renewable energy coverage globally. Equinix has continued to make advancements in the way it designs, builds and operates its data centers with high energy-efficiency standards achieved. MA5 will be designed with the aim to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certified.
Equinix currently holds the DPP Committed to Sustainability mark. The accreditation is part of the DPP's Committed to Sustainability program, recognizing commitment to continuous improvement in environmental sustainability practices. Findings from the Equinix 2020-21 Global Tech Trends Survey revealed almost 6 out of 10 (58%) respondents in the UK (53% globally) believe their customers want them to demonstrate the sustainability of their IT infrastructure.
