Datacentre provider Equinix has completed its $1.035 billion acquisition of Metronode, boosting its presence in the local market.
The move now brings Equinix’s International Business Exchange (IBX) data centres to 15 nationally, expanding operations in Sydney and Melbourne, and provides a presence in four new markets: Perth; Canberra; Adelaide and Brisbane.
About 60 Metronode staff will join the Equinix team across Asia Pacific.
This also takes Equinix’s footprint in the Asia-Pacific region to 40 data centres and extends the company’s global footprint to 200 data centres across 52 markets.
Equinix recently completed the phase two expansion of its Sydney 4 IBX (SY4) and the phase three expansion of its Melbourne 1 IBX (ME1) is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.
In December, Equinix made an agreement with Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan to acquire all the equity interests in Metronode group of companies in an all-cash transaction.
“Equinix is doubling down in priority markets and breaking into emerging markets in a meaningful way through this acquisition,” Structure Research, research director, Jabez Tan, said.
The Metronode assets add more than 80,000 square metres of land, 90 percent of which is owned, to the global portfolio of Equinix. These sites add approximately 20,000 square metres of gross co-location space in Australia.
Additionally, the Metronode site in Perth will become the landing station for the new Vocus Australia Singapore Cable.
Equinix Australia managing director, Jeremy Deutsch, said it has already seen strong demand from existing and new customers to expand their platform with Equinix across Australia.
“Equinix is committed to matching the growth of our customers and meeting their demands for digital transformation and innovation. This acquisition expands our national footprint and will enable us to help our customers interconnect at the digital edge throughout Australia," Deutsch said.
"We are thrilled to already see very strong demand from our existing customers and potential new customers, each expressing their desire to expand into the enlarged platform Equinix across Australia.”
