2 min readAbout the company:
Kao Data is a pioneer in the development and operation of data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing. With hyperscale-inspired facilities already in the east and west of London, Greater Manchester was chosen as its next home, with the data centre set to become the largest facility in the North of England.
Home to technology’s most demanding computing infrastructure, Kao Data announced its decision to establish the data centre in Greater Manchester in May 2023. The facility will replace a former concrete works, providing an industrial-scale computing platform for AI, cloud and enterprise companies from the region and internationally.
Greater Manchester Growth Story:
The new data centre, proposed for the Greater Manchester borough of Stockport, represents an investment of £350 million when it becomes operational in 2026.
At 40MW, the data centre will provide capacity for more than 4,000 racks, all powered by 100% certified renewable energy, with the centre spanning across 140,000 sq.ft and creating over 100 jobs in the city-region over the next three years, in addition to hundreds of jobs in the wider tech ecosystem.
The move underscores the growing demand for data centre services in the UK, with a number already choosing to expand into Greater Manchester to take advantage of an industrialised power infrastructure, world-class connectivity and a talented workforce.
Greater Manchester’s thriving tech scene and position as a key node in the UK's digital infrastructure presented an ideal location for the expansion, with Kao Data looking to expand its digital footprint beyond London and the M25.
This expansion reinforces Greater Manchester's position as a key player in the UK's digital future and a major ‘next tier’ computing location within Europe.
Working with MIDAS
The MIDAS team provided Kao Data’s team with information, research and business networking connections within Greater Manchester.
“Our move into Manchester marks an important next step in the continued evolution of our organisation, and we’re excited to bring our industry-leading data centre platform to one of the UK’s most influential technology and business hubs,” said Spencer Lamb, Chief Commercial Officer, Kao Data.
“We believe our new facility will set a new standard for sustainable data centres within the region and will provide a piece of foundational infrastructure that supports both Northern England’s advanced computing clusters, and the UK Government’s ambitions to become a technological and economic superpower for AI.”
