Datacom’s decision to build a $30 million data centre in Hamilton sets the city apart globally and brings it closer to becoming a technology leader in the South Pacific, says Digital Hamilton manager Nicola Browne.

Nicola, of economic development agency Opportunity Hamilton, met with Datacom general manager of data centres Tom Jacob recently, touring the company’s Albany premise and discussing Datacom’s needs in Hamilton.

“Datacom’s research showed Hamilton was the best place for its new data centre and this will send a positive message to New Zealand and the world about how the city is a secure and sensible choice for business location,” Nicola said.

Datacom’s Hamilton data centre will provide more than 15 full time jobs and work for dozens of local contractors.

“A development of this scale is positive for Hamilton and our region across the board. Our aim for the city to be a digital technology leader in the South Pacific just moved up a level.”

The decision coincides with the rollout of ultrafast broadband in the city, the five-year deployment which started earlier this year.

Opportunity Hamilton and the Hamilton City Council assisted Datacom in its decision to move to the city, with the economic development agency to help with staffing needs of the centre.

Datacom general manager Tom Jacob said the company’s presence in Hamilton, the city’s geological stability and its proximity to Auckland all weighed in its favour when deciding on a location.

“We see Hamilton as the ideal location for several reasons. There’s the geological stability but it’s also the ideal distance from Auckland. Too close would have been an issue and so would too far,” Tom said.

Datacom will build the data centre in north Hamilton as part of its 10-year contract to supply computer infrastructure to government agencies. Construction will begin in January and the centre’s exact location is under wraps for security reasons.

The 920-rack facility, the largest in New Zealand, will be commissioned and in operation by early 2013. It will run together with the smaller Albany centre opened in 2009.

“The government contracts will use about half the storage space so there is plenty of room to service other clients from throughout New Zealand. The Hamilton location is an attractive site for both government and commercial operations to house IT systems,” Tom said.

Beca Carter will design the facility with Fletcher Building providing construction.

Datacom employs more than 3500 staff throughout New Zealand, Australia and Asia. Revenues in the last financial year ended March 31 was more than NZ$725m.