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Larnaca to host a world-class data center, one of the most advanced in the region In a glamorous ceremony in the presence of Kyriakos Kokkinos, Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy , the grand opening of Simplex LCA1 took place in Larnaca, Cyprus on 14 December 2022. More than 100 distinguished guests including government officials, businessmen, IT managers and other industry professionals, representing the business and political community of Cyprus, gathered to celebrate what is expected to be a milestone for Cyprus’ digital transition and a true diversifier for the country’s economy. Established in 2007 and operating the first carrier neutral data centre in the country (LIM1 in Limassol) back in 2007, Simplex has established itself as the pioneer of the data centre industry in Cyprus. LCA1 is the largest data center in Cyprus and one of the most advanced in the region, offering unparalleled reliability, security and flexibility. Simplex is now the only neutral operator with two privately owned data centers at diverse locations, strengthening its dominance as the leading provider of world-class premium data center services in Cyprus. LCA1 has in fact been operating since December 2020, however, due to the pandemic Simplex never had the opportunity to celebrate its opening on time and decided to do so on its second birthday/anniversary. A testament for LCA1’s qualities is the international recognition it has received during these two years. In particular, it has been awarded for Reliable and Efficient Data Centre Operation at the Impact Bite Awards, the most important technology and innovation awards in Greece, while it has also been shortlisted as a finalist for the 2021 Middle East & Africa Data Centre Development Award of the DCD Awards, often referred to as the “Oscars of the data center industry”. The growing business community of Larnaca, sufficient distance from both Limassol (business and financial center) and Nicosia (the capital) for disaster recovery purposes and the convenience for international clients flying in through Larnaca International Airport which is only a 5-minute drive away, have been reasons for choosing Larnaca to host this world-class facility. Designed and constructed with efficiency and sustainability at its core, LCA1 has adopted many green technologies while it will soon be using extensively, if not exclusively, green power from renewable sources, mainly solar. During the event, the company’s director Michael Omerou has announced the certification of the company’s Environmental Management System to ISO 14001 as well as the upcoming certification to EMAS, EU’s Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, becoming the first Cyprus’ data center operator to receive such certifications, demonstrating the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability. Michael Omerou, managing director of Simplex, said in his statement: “I am really proud and excited to be standing in front of such a mass gathering that inevitably demonstrates the importance of data centers in general and LCA1 in particular. Neutral, multi-tenant data centers like LCA1 consist important, critical infrastructure for any country that among others create a huge economic potential. Strategically located, literally at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, LCA1 is a truly enterprise, world-class data centre, that will serve not only domestic clients, but also, regional and even international ones. Jointly with other technology companies of the island and of course, the government, we aim to establish an ecosystem that will attract international technology giants including content providers, international ISPs, cloud providers and other hyperscalers that through Cyprus will be able to serve neighbouring countries which suffer from political and financial fragility and despite their big population/market size, do not offer reliable telecoms and electricity infrastructure. LCA1 will evolve as an investment magnet and a multiplier of economic growth for Cyprus economy.” Addressing the event, Deputy Minister Kokkinos, said: “I truly believe that Cyprus can be a prime location for data centers so it gives me great pleasure to be here today for the official inauguration of this ground-breaking facility, that significantly enriches Cyprus’ digital infrastructure portfolio and further advances the country’s international competitiveness and posture as a regional tech and telecommunications hub. The continued expansion of Simplex is vital to realizing our country’s growth potential and magnifying the impact of digital innovation across industry, the economy and society. The LCA1 in Larnaca features a state-of-the-art infrastructure with remarkable reliability, security and flexibility and it is no wonder it has received so many international honors, making our country proud. Backed by robust partners, like Simplex and capitalizing on our geostrategic location I am confident we can achieve our goals, bringing about lasting change and enabling better living for all our citizens. We all just need to work together, aim higher, and dare to outthink.” Finally, George Dritsanos, Secure Power VP for South East Europe at Schneider Electric, a strategic partner for Simplex, mentioned: “Schneider Electric is the market leader in Energy Management and Industrial automation. Furthermore, Schneider Electric has been recently recognized as the most sustainable company in the world by Corporate Knights. We are very pleased to be here today, marking our long-lasting cooperation with Simplex with which our values and vision have been well aligned for creating a top-notch data center with very high efficiency and increased sustainability standards. Data Center is an emerging market for our territory and as recent research from IDC showed €1 of capital investment in a data center , brings a total of €8 to the economy over a decade, creating a multiplying growth effect for the country. We shall therefore all continue working towards attracting investments such as LCA1. As Heraclitus said the only constant in life is change. In the past the vision has been to develop road and avenues for enhancing commerce and communication among people. The roads are the same this time however they are not made by concrete and stones but they are made of data. It is obvious that whoever can hold and distribute the data will win the game in this digital era we live in. The data gravity signifies the multiplied power of our society to educate the new generations towards a digital era in which AI, the Metaverse , e-commerce and the cloud will be the main pillars of the human evolution. On these transformations, we should be definitely be present and not absent and LCA1 gives the opportunity for Cyprus to be indeed present. ”
View the photo gallery from the Inauguration Event here
About Simplex Established in 2005, Simplex is Cyprus’ leading provider of world-class premium carrier-neutral data center services and a leading enterprise IT integrator while it also provides ICT consulting and web/software development. All services of the company are ISO 9001, ISO 27001 and ISO 14001 certified, demonstrating the company’s commitment to quality, security and the environment. Through its complete product and services portfolio and partnerships with leading vendors, Simplex is a single point of contact for all the ICT needs of an enterprise and has become the global IT partner for organizations from around the world, coming from various industries/markets that have trusted their IT operations to Simplex. |
