Eurofiber

Acquisition paves the way for further growth

Eurofiber acquires datacenter operations of the Dutch IT infrastructure service provider Bytesnet. With this acquisition, Eurofiber strengthens its position in the regional edge data center segment, supporting its long-term growth objectives for open access digital infrastructure.

Maarssen, 25 July 2024. Bytesnet is a Dutch provider of colocation, High Performance Computing, cloud and connectivity. With datacenters in Groningen (d’ROOT, built in 2018) and Rotterdam (Spanish Cube, 2009), it offers colocation services to its customers in sectors including healthcare, education, and government. Co-founder and CEO Peter de Jong says: “The market for regional data centers is developing rapidly. There is an increasing demand from parties who want to manage their data entirely or partially in the private Dutch cloud, so they can physically access it easily and have the guarantee that their crucial data does not leave our country. Together with the exponential growth of data, partly due to AI, there is a need for scaling up. To achieve this, we have sought a buyer with experience, ambition, and financial strength. We are therefore very pleased with the agreement with Eurofiber.”

Peter de Jong will remain closely involved with Bytesnet, among other things to ensure a smooth integration with Eurofiber and to ensure the continuity and quality of the service. In addition, he will focus on business development and further growth.

Future growth

Eurofiber is a leading driver of the digital society with its open access digital infrastructure. Eurofiber operates a fiber optic network stretching over 70,500 kilometers in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Germany, providing extensive coverage across these markets. In addition, Eurofiber offers cloud infrastructure solutions including colocation and private cloud services from datacenters in the Netherlands and France, providing secure environments for mission-critical information systems while delivering ultra-reliable and redundant connectivity. Elisabeth Hankeln, managing director of Eurofiber Cloud Infra: “With the acquisition of Bytesnet’s datacenters, we are expanding our Dutch Cloud Infrastructure footprint to eight datacenters, providing significant room to grow with existing and new customers. The Rotterdam datacenter is a highly connected site with large customers including international carriers, whereas d’Root in Groningen brings us a state-of-the-art location in a region where we were not present until now. Moreover, with its reuse of residual heat and liquid cooling capabilities, Bytesnet’s datacenter in Groningen is among the most sustainable datacenters in Europe, fitting perfectly with Eurofiber’s ambitions and initiatives in the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) area.“

About Eurofiber

Eurofiber has been a provider of industry-leading open digital infrastructure since 2000. Utilizing our own fiberoptic network and datacenters, we provide smart, open, future-proof cloud infrastructure and connectivity solutions to companies, government bodies and non-profit organizations. Customers have complete freedom to choose the services, applications and providers they need, allowing them to tap into the full potential of digital innovation. Eurofiber has a 70,500 km fiberoptic network in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany, expanding by 50 km per week on average. Eurofiber companies operate eleven datacenters in the Netherlands and France.

Supplementing that vital infrastructure, we also offer interconnectivity between nearly all carrier-neutral datacenters in the Netherlands and Belgium through the DCspine platform. Eurofiber is laying the foundation under the digital society, which is why the Dutch government has assigned Eurofiber the status of ‘vital infrastructure’.

The Eurofiber Group consists of Eurofiber (Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany), and Eurofiber Cloud Infra (Netherlands). Eurofiber participates in the joint venture Unifiber in Belgium and has an investment partnership with a nationwide fiber infrastructure operation with NGN Fiber Network (Germany).

Eurofiber is backed by Antin Infrastructure Partners, and PGGM infrastructure Fund as a minority shareholder. Antin is a leading private equity firm focused on infrastructure. With over EUR31bn in assets under management across its Flagship, Mid Cap and NextGen investment strategies, Antin targets investments in the digital, energy and environment, transport, and social infrastructure sectors. PGGM Infrastructure Fund is an open-ended fund with EUR14bn assets under management in infrastructure investments. Since 2010, the fund has been active in various infrastructure sectors, including digital.

About Bytesnet

Bytesnet was established more than 20 years ago as an Internet Exchange and has grown into a fully-fledged provider of IT infrastructure services with its own data centers in Groningen and Rotterdam. The company is characterized by continuous innovation of its service portfolio and uses innovative energy solutions to make IT use more sustainable. Typical achievements include: supplying waste heat to a heating company that uses it to heat buildings, server equipment that is liquid cooled, as well as various initiatives for the use of renewable energy sources.  In addition, Bytesnet offers high-quality services in the field of High Performance Computing and Data Storage.