Compass Datacenters LLC Is an American multinational data center company. It is a significant player in the hyperscale computing space,[1] with approximately 17 active datacenter campuses in the US, and internationally in Canada and Israel.[2]

Compass Datacenters LLC
Company typePrivate
IndustryInternet
Founded2011; 13 years ago (2011)
FounderChris Crosby
HeadquartersDallas, Texas, US
Owner
Websitewww.compassdatacenters.com

Since 2023, the company has been controlled by the private equity arms of Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners.[3][4]

Compass' partners include Schneider Electric, Cummins, Foster Fuels, Vertiv and Salute.[5]

History edit

Compass Datacenters was founded in 2011 by Chris Crosby, who previously was a senior vice president of Digital Realty[6] with a focus on modular datacenters. In 2014, the company received a patent noting that they created a truly modular datacenter.[7]

Compass wholly owns a software as a service company known as Radix IoT that specializes in datacenter management software.[8]

It began with a focus on US operations however eventually expanded abroad. Specifically to Canada through the acquisition of ROOT datacenters [9] in 2019 and expansion to Israel directly through a partnership with Amazon Web Services.[10] In the same time period Azrieli Group acquired a 20% stake in the organization.[11] In 2023 the company acquired the former Sears HQ in Illinois to create a datacenter mega campus.[12][13] On December 13, 2023, it was confirmed the Compass Datacenters Prince William County project, one of the largest in the world, was set to go through after a 4–3 vote in favor of development. [14][15][16]

On June 26, 2023, it was announced that Brookfield Infrastructure Partners and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan had purchased the company.[17]

References edit

  1. ^ ReportLinker (2022-06-28). "The Global Hyperscale data center market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.69% during 2022 to 2027". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  2. ^ Combs, DeAnn (2023-06-21). "And the winner is … Brookfield, Ontario Teachers Acquire Compass Datacenters". Inside Towers. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  3. ^ "Brookfield and Ontario Teachers' acquire Compass Datacenters in $5.5 Billion Deal". Techerati. 2023-06-21. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  4. ^ "Brookfield Increased Loan to Compass Ahead of $5.5 Billion Buyout". Bloomberg.com. 2023-06-27. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  5. ^ "Compass Datacenters Partners". Compass Datacenters. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  6. ^ "Executive Insights: Chris Crosby". Data Center Frontier. 2015-09-18. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  7. ^ US20140352231A1, JR, Christopher J. Crosby, "Truly modular building datacenter facility", issued 2014-12-04 
  8. ^ "Radix IoT Platform Launch Poised to Disrupt the IoT Sector". Yahoo Finance. 2020-09-15. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  9. ^ "Compass Buys Root, Enters Montreal Hyperscale Data Center Market". Data Center Knowledge | News and analysis for the data center industry. 2019-07-23. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  10. ^ "Amazon in talks to set up data centers in Israel – Globes". www.spglobal.com. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  11. ^ "Azrieli buying 20% stake in data centers firm Compass for $135M". www.spglobal.com. Retrieved 2024-01-22.
  12. ^ Staff, T. R. D. (2023-09-17). "Sears Headquarters Sold to Compass Datacenters For $194 Million". The Real Deal. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  13. ^ "Compass Datacenters acquires former Sears headquarters in Hoffman Estates". Chicago Tribune. 2023-09-13. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  14. ^ Kelleher, Colleen (2023-12-14). "Massive PW Digital Gateway Data Center Plan Approved in Prince William County". Northern Virginia Magazine. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  15. ^ Turco, Rebecca (2023-12-17). "'The fight is definitely not over': Prince William woman leads charge against data centers". WJLA. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  16. ^ Writers, Jill Palermo and Peter Cary Times Staff (2023-12-13). "BREAKING: Supervisors OK Digital Gateway". Prince William Times. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  17. ^ "Brookfield and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan secure Compass Datacenters acquisition". Benefits and Pensions Monitor. Retrieved 2023-12-16.

External links edit