10.9.2022
Microsoft chose Vihti
Today, Microsoft has announced that Vihti will be the third location for the company's planned data centre region in southern Finland. In March, Microsoft and Fortum announced data centres in Espoo and Kirkkonummi. The planned third data centre in Vihti complements Microsoft's data centre concept, which consists of three separate and independently operating data centres that are synchronised with each other. This will ensure that customer data is secured with the lowest possible response time in all circumstances. Construction is expected to start once the plans for all three sites have been approved and the necessary permits obtained.
"I believe that this project, which is of national importance, will have as great an impact on the vitality of Vihti and the whole of western Uusimaa, as the construction of the railway and motorway crossing our region has had in the past. Data centres are the 'highways of the future,' and locating one in Vihti gives us an excellent opportunity to increase the attractiveness of our municipality," says Eerikki Viljanen, Chairman of the Municipal Council.
"The data centre has required a lot of work from the municipality, and I am grateful that the cooperation with Microsoft and Fortum, the latter of which carried out the project assessment, has been effective from the very beginning. The Microsoft data centre is the single most significant investment in the history of Vihti municipality. The project will have a major positive impact on employment and development in the municipality. This is a great demonstration of the attractiveness of Vihti and its business districts," continues Erkki Eerola, Mayor of Vihti.
The new data centre region will play a key role in accelerating Finland's digital transformation. Market inteligence firm IDC estimates that over the next four years, Microsoft, its ecosystem and cloud customers could together generate more than EUR 17.2 billion in new cumulative revenue and create more than 11,000 jobs for IT professionals in Finland.
"The data centre area will enable companies, the public sector, research organisations and universities to use cloud computing more effectively for innovation, digitalisation projects and the growth of data-based business," says Mervi Airaksinen, Managing Director Microsoft Finland.
Global cloud infrastructure
The new data centre region will join Microsoft's global cloud infrastructure, which includes more than 60 data centre regions, over 200 data centres and more than 280,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable. Microsoft's cloud infrastructure serves more than a billion customers in 140 countries.
The project has been promoted by the municipality's business and economic development services in cooperation with other senior officials. The construction of the data centre is subject to the approval of the local detailed plan and the necessary permits. Microsoft's interest in the new business area has been warmly welcomed by the municipality.
"This is the best reward we can have for the hard work that has been done in Vihti in recent years to create new business areas suitable for even large projects. Above all I would like to thank our staff, whose dedicated and determined work have made this project possible," says Petra Ståhl, Director of Business and Economic development.
