AirTrunk completes US$333mil financing to launch hyperscale data centre in Singapore

• State-of-the-art facility will be the largest neutral data centre in Singapore
• Specifically designed for hyperscale cloud, content and enterprise customers

AIRTRUNK, a specialist in hyperscale data centres, announced the completion of a new US$333 million (S$450 million; RM1.4 billion) financing to begin expansion across the Asia Pacific with the development of a 60+ megawatt (MW) hyperscale data centre in Singapore.

The debt financing was undertaken with three global financial institutions, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and Natixis, with additional equity capital from its founder and CEO, Robin Khuda, and shareholders, Goldman Sachs and TPG Sixth Street Partners (TSSP). AirTrunk was advised by Grant Samuel, Norton Rose Fulbright and Rajah & Tann.

The new Singapore development is a major step in the company’s ambitious Asia-Pacific growth strategy. It has been driven by strong customer demand for AirTrunk’s hyperscale solutions and follows the success of its flagship Australian operations in Sydney and Melbourne.

Robin Khuda (pic, right), founder and CEO of AirTrunk said, “We are immensely proud to be the first Australian operator to build a hyperscale data centre in Singapore. Throughout the financing process, we received strong interest from global financial institutions in recognition of AirTrunk’s proven hyperscale model backed by long-term customer commitments. This additional SG$450 million financing provides us with a strong balance sheet to pursue further growth and become the preeminent hyperscale data centre operator in the region.”

The state-of-the-art facility will be the largest neutral data centre in Singapore, with more than 60 megawatts (MW) of IT load, and is specifically designed for hyperscale cloud, content and enterprise customers.

The site, located in Loyang, is strategically positioned near the Changi North Cable Landing Station, a key sub-sea internet landing station for international interconnection. The carrier-neutral facility will be serviced by multiple fibre paths and a dedicated high-voltage substation will provide highly reliable and cost-effective power solutions for customers.

AirTrunk’s chief commercial officer and executive director, Michael Juniper, is based in Singapore and oversees new projects in the region.

Juniper said, “The rapid growth of cloud and evolving needs of enterprises are driving demand for hyperscale capacity in the region. Singapore is a strategic data centre hub due to its economic and political stability and rich connectivity to Asia, the USA, and Europe.”

AirTrunk’s substantial investment in Singapore over the coming years will bring benefits to the local economy and create hundreds of jobs during construction and ongoing operations.

Juniper added, “AirTrunk’s inaugural Singapore data centre is set to be operational in mid-2020 and will showcase our unmatched deployment speed, scalability, reliability and cost efficiency. We are committed to developing a sustainable digital ecosystem, delivering an industry-low power usage effectiveness (PUE) and BCA Green Mark Platinum certification.”

Like its other facilities, AirTrunk’s Singapore data centre is designed to meet the stringent security requirements of its customers including TVRA, ISO27001, PCI-DSS and ISAE 3402 Type 2.