Equinix, the global interconnection and data centre company, has entered into an agreement with Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan to acquire all of the equity interests in the Metronode group of companies, an Australian data centre business, in an all-cash transaction for A$1.035 billion, or approximately US$792 million. Metronode is a leading data centre provider operating facilities throughout Australia, housing mission-critical internet and communications infrastructure for some of Australia’s largest corporations, government agencies, telecommunications and IT service providers. The acquisition agreement was signed on December 15, 2017, and the transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2018, subject to some closing conditions including regulatory approval.
The acquisition will expand Equinix’s national footprint, adding 10 data centres with four new metros, helping customers capitalise on interconnection opportunities and move IT infrastructure closer to the edge. It will further strengthen the position of Equinix in the Asia-Pacific region and support its ongoing global expansion.
The acquisition will complement the growth strategy of Equinix in Australia by adding two data centres in Melbourne, three in greater Sydney (including one in Illawarra), two in Perth, and one in each of Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane. The acquired Metronode sites add approximately 20,000 square meters of gross colocation space to the Equinix footprint.
Samuel Lee, President of Equinix Asia-Pacific, commented: “Growth and expansion is a continued focus for Equinix as we strive to bring together market leaders and innovators on a single, global interconnection platform. The acquisition of Metronode helps Equinix to accelerate the expansion of our global footprint and support our customers in the region as they move their infrastructure to the edge, closer to their customers and partners.”
