Hosting and colocation firm UKFast is on the hunt for its latest property acquisition, to create the largest data centre in the region, underground.
The firm is on the hunt for an office block under which it can develop the largest data centre to add to its portfolio of four fully-owned facilities in Trafford Park.
CEO Jones said: “We’re looking for an underground site because it makes perfect sense. We design and develop our data centres ourselves and previously we’ve ripped out office interior and sealed windows to create the shell that we need to build from. An underground space would give us that shell instantly.
“There’s no need for windows and being underground is more environmentally friendly because of this. It’s easier to maintain a constant temperature and we can syphon the excess heat generated by the hardware to heat the rest of the office block above.
“It’s a huge project and we’re at the early stages of finding the perfect location at the moment. People might think I am mad, taking on another massive project when we’re not finished developing our Technology Park HQ but we’ve always done things differently, and so far it’s paying off!”
Jones and UKFast recently announced another record year for turnover, smashing its £20m target and hitting £8.2m EBITDA. The firm has now set the bar at £30m for 2014.
Jones added: “The first quarter of 2014 has been the best ever. It really has been a landmark quarter; the most customers, the best figures. It’s this growth that is enabling us to constantly set new points on the horizon and take on big projects that help the city grow as a whole.”