Company climbs aboard data scheme

IVI unveiled its data centre plans in December 2007

A power and cooling systems firm has announced its business support for plans to build a multi-million pound data centre in the south of Scotland.

APC by Schneider Electrical has formed a partnership with Internet Villages International (IVI) for the project.

Their initial focus will be on plans to create a data centre near Ecclefechan in Dumfries and Galloway.

Another bid is also under way by Lockerbie Data Centres (LDC) for a similar project on a nearby site.

IVI unveiled its plans for southern Scotland in December 2007.

It claimed the £600m proposals could create about a large number jobs.

Now it has secured the support of APC, which specialises in power and cooling systems, for its development.

IVI chairman Peter Hewkin said that by working together the two companies could set "a new benchmark standard" in the data centre field.