GDT, a Dallas-based IT provider that specializes in data center infrastructure, is being acquired by the UK-based firm Softcat for $1.05 billion, GDT announced Thursday.
The deal amounts to yet another high-profile transaction for D-FW’s burgeoning tech sector and data center market, which ranks among the largest and fastest-growing in the world. Thanks in part to widely available land, power and talent, the region is already home to dozens of operating data centers, with dozens more projects underway. Over the past few weeks, four companies registered state filings for ongoing projects totaling more than $1 billion.
Under the terms of its deal, GDT, a company that employs 900 people and is based in northwest Dallas, will retain its workforce and leadership and operate as a Softcat subsidiary, a representative told The News in an email.
In a statement, Shawn O’Grady, GDT’s CEO, emphasized the business value of joining forces with the larger British firm. “Together, we can deliver a broader set of solutions, deeper resources and global reach with the high-touch service our customers have come to expect,” he said, “while also giving our team new opportunities to grow and innovate as part of a larger organization.”
Softcat, an IT infrastructure provider that’s listed on the London Stock Exchange, has around 2,800 employees and a market cap of over $5 billion. Graham Charlton, that firm’s CEO, also emphasized the scaling benefit of acquiring a U.S.-based firm.
“Our customers have repeatedly asked us to support their technology requirements outside the U.K. and Ireland, particularly in North America,” Charlton said. “GDT meets every benchmark we looked for to meet that request, including meaningful U.S. scale, an established U.S. enterprise customer base, deep data center and networking capabilities, and a customer-first corporate culture that matches our own.”
Along with its Dallas-based operation, GDT also has a campus in Bangalore, India, with more than 200 employees. In addition to data center infrastructure, the company specializes in networking services, connecting computers and other devices for resource sharing.