Dallas-based Skybox Datacenters broke ground on a new facility in Lancaster Tuesday morning, adding to the growing number of data centers built in Dallas-Fort Worth.Metroplex. Data centers house computing machines and related equipment that often are the backbone of technology-reliant services like streaming or social media.At completion, the facility is estimated to use 300 megawatts of power, said Haynes Strader, the chief development officer for Skybox.
Dallas-based Compass Datacenters has been active in the vicinity as well. Compass, in partnership with French multinational firm Schneider Electric, on Thursday opened up a facility in nearby Red Oak that will manufacture infrastructure for data centers.At Thursday’s ribbon-cutting event for the Compass-Schneider project, Compass CEO Chris Crosby said Compass has also worked closely with Oncor.
“We’ve got a lot of infrastructure and what you’re seeing is some of that network effect,” he said. “And you’re seeing this has now become an area that is a new hub for data centers because of initial investments that have been done — power, fiber, water, light for this community.”as the industry has taken off because of the amount of energy and utility required to power the facilities.
In Lancaster, Strader said that Skybox facilities typically employ 20 to 30 Skybox-specific employees and, based on the tenant, anywhere from 50 to 150 employees total. Lancaster Mayor Clyde Hairston said the facility will help “spur economic growth” in the city, which sits south of Dallas.
SONDA, a Latin American information technology firm, has chosen Dallas as its new U.S. headquarters. The company joins thousands of other businesses moving to Texas as the state leads in tech job gains and attracting relocating firms.French multinational group Schneider Electric opened a facility in Red Oak this week that will support the booming data center industry in Dallas-Fort Worth.Auto retailers across the U.S.