Dairy brand signs deal with NextiraOne for two new Data Centres and carbon-reducing new technologies

Lichfield – 6 September, 2010. NextiraOne, Europe’s leading expert in communications services, has signed a contract to deliver two new state-of-the-art Data Centres for the market-leading yogurt manufacturer, Müller Dairy. The project has been designed with clear environmental considerations in mind, and includes carbon-reducing technologies for cooling and power supply in two new dedicated facilities.

Müller Dairy is one of Europe’s leading dairy brands and the UK market leader. Established in the UK in 1988, the company is known today for its wide range of household brand names including Müller Corner and Müllerlight. The company has a clear environmental strategy and has identified a number of key areas for improvement across its operations, including carbon reduction and increased energy efficiency. As a member of the Carbon Trust and with awards for Environment Best Practice, Müller Dairy wanted a partner who could demonstrate a strong awareness of possible environmental impact of ICT decisions and the ability to provide a solution that would deliver clear environmental benefits.

NextiraOne’s Intelligent Business Services Division designed, planned, project managed and implemented the complete overhaul of two Data Centre environments for Müller Dairy, at its UK headquarters and dairy in Market Drayton, Shropshire. The new Data Centre infrastructure has extended existing facilities which have remained operational throughout the project.

The works included the construction of new walls, raised modular floors and suspended ceilings, general power and lighting, the installation of new fire detection and suppression systems, APC InfraStruXure In-Row cooling solutions, server and network racks and structured cabling, all of which support Müllers Local Area Network, (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN) and Network Storage equipment in each room. To assure business continuity, each room will be supported by a centralised Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) and generator back-up system. The system also includes an APC InfraStruXure Central Management server, which monitors environmental conditions within the Data Centres and can provide usage trends and early warning of conditions that could lead to system failure.

The aim of the new Data Centres is to maintain and improve system availability as Müller Dairy’s demands on its ICT continue to grow. Once the installation is complete NextiraOne will provide ongoing support and maintenance under a five-year Operational Support Agreement (OSA), including a single number support line to the NextiraOne Welcome Centre that handles all fault logging and manages the fault to its successful conclusion, telephone support and hardware support where required and also scheduling of preventative maintenance visits.

Under the contract NextiraOne’s Intelligent Building Services Division has carried out a phased implementation, extending and refurbishing one room at a time, so that the business-critical operations of the dairy could continue throughout. All the business processes, including the manufacturing of 5 million pots of yogurt per day and the handling of customer calls and enquiries through the company’s Contact Centre are controlled through the company’s ICT services, housed in the existing Data Centres.

One of the key factors built into the design is the ability to support Müller Dairy’s strategic aim of reducing its carbon footprint. NextiraOne has incorporated new energy-efficient technologies into the Data Centres, including energy efficient cooling systems that reduce power consumption by directly cooling IT equipment, instead of the room. The installation of a highly efficient centralised UPS system, which utilises Isolated Gate Bipolar Technology (IGBT), will also reduce power consumption, whilst improving business continuity.

NextiraOne won the contract because it was able to provide a solution that was fit for purpose whilst also demonstrating that its carbon reduction aspirations matched those of Müller Dairy. The company has a dedicated Intelligent Building Services Division which has a positive target of delivering carbon reduction solutions to its customers. NextiraOne is also a member of the 2degrees Network, a collaborative problem-solving and innovation service for sustainable business that helps organisations respond to the opportunities and challenges of climate change and the transition to a low carbon, resource-constrained economy.

“NextiraOne has the expertise in building Data Centre projects and we were impressed with the environmental awareness they are bringing to the project - entirely in keeping with our own carbon reduction strategy,” commented Stephen Kane, Head of IT at Müller Dairy UK.

Steven Skakel, Managing Director UK & Ireland at NextiraOne, said: “Müller Dairy has a very clear approach to its environmental responsibilities and we are delighted that it recognised our own commitment to carbon reduction in choosing NextiraOne to build its new Data Centres. Our Intelligent Building Services Division is at the leading edge in terms of delivering carbon-reducing solutions and the new technologies in power supply and In-Row cooling equipment that make a dramatic difference to a company’s ability to reduce costs and carbon.”