Fiber M&A: EQT Buys GlobalConnect

There was a bit of fiber M&A over in northern Europe yesterday.  The private equity outfit EQT’s Infrastructure fund is acquiring Denmark-based GlobalConnect A/S.

GlobalConnect operates 12,500km of fiber across Denmark and across the borders into northern Germany and southwestern Sweden.  That fiber passes some 30k companies in Denmark and another 9K in Germany.  The GlobalConnect also operates an extensive data center footprint spanning some 13,000 square meters in all in facilities across Denmark.

EQT Infrastructure is no stranger to the fiber business or to northern Europe.  In 2013 they bought 91% of IP-Only, which operates an extensive fiber network in neighboring Sweden.  And the year before that they acquired Norway’s Tampnet, which operates fiber in the North Sea between the UK and Norway.  Both companies used the new resources to open up new potential markets, and we can expect GlobalConnect to become more aggressive as well.

EQT will be joined in the new ownership structure by the founding Zibrandtsen family, which will be taking part of the proceeds of the sale and re-investing it for a 20% share, with Niels Zibrandtsen being appointed to the new Board of Directors.  Financial details of the purchase were not disclosed.  The deal is expected to close in Q1/2017.

 

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Categories: Datacenter · Fiber Networks