Leighton Asia Secures Major Data Centre Project in Johor Bahru, Malaysia
CIMIC Group company Leighton Asia has been awarded the main works contract for a large-scale data centre project in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. This milestone follows the company’s successful delivery of multiple data centre projects for the same client across Indonesia and India, further cementing Leighton Asia’s reputation as a regional leader in high-capacity data centre construction.
The award reflects the growing demand for digital infrastructure in Southeast Asia, where businesses and technology operators are increasingly investing in hyperscale and enterprise data centre facilities to support cloud services, artificial intelligence workloads, and digital transformation initiatives.
Greenfield Campus Development
The project forms part of a greenfield campus development, covering approximately 29 acres within a wider 86-acre site. The development is designed to deliver robust digital infrastructure while incorporating the latest standards in sustainability, resilience, and operational efficiency.
The facility will provide up to 57.6 MW of critical IT and network capacity across six colocation buildings, offering scalable solutions to meet the demands of high-growth technology clients. In addition to the core IT infrastructure, the campus will include comprehensive administration, operations support, and security facilities, along with all associated site infrastructure, ensuring a fully integrated and operationally efficient data centre campus.
Construction for the project is scheduled for completion in 2028, marking a multi-year undertaking that will leverage Leighton Asia’s extensive expertise in delivering technically complex projects across the region.
Strategic Significance for CIMIC Group
Juan Santamaria, Chief Executive Officer of ACS Group and HOCHTIEF and Executive Chairman of CIMIC Group, highlighted the strategic importance of the project:
With over 9 GW of data centre capacity delivered or underway, our Group is uniquely positioned to support the digital infrastructure needs of leading technology clients. We bring deep expertise across the full lifecycle – from concept to commissioning – enabling scalable, resilient, and future-ready solutions.
This announcement underscores CIMIC Group’s ongoing commitment to digital infrastructure development in Asia and its ability to manage large-scale, technically demanding projects that require a combination of civil, structural, and MEP expertise.
Leighton Asia’s track record in delivering data centre projects for the same client in Indonesia and India demonstrates the company’s ability to execute complex projects across diverse regulatory and environmental landscapes, ensuring high standards of quality, safety, and operational excellence.
Leighton Asia’s Regional Expertise
Brad Davey, Managing Director of Leighton Asia, emphasised the company’s readiness to deliver the project efficiently:
With an established team already on site and deep regional experience gained from successfully delivering data centre projects across the region, Leighton Asia is ready to deliver this highly technical project safely and efficiently for our valued client.
Leighton Asia has built an extensive portfolio of hyperscale and enterprise data centre projects across Asia, with active and completed works in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India, the Philippines, Singapore, and Hong Kong. This regional footprint enables the company to leverage proven delivery capabilities in civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and integrated project execution, ensuring consistency in quality and safety across all projects.
The company’s experience includes full lifecycle delivery, from concept and design through to construction and commissioning, allowing it to manage the complexities associated with high-capacity data centres. This capability is increasingly important as clients demand facilities that are resilient, scalable, and energy-efficient, meeting the growing needs of cloud service providers, hyperscalers, and enterprise customers.
Project Features and Technical Highlights
The Johor Bahru data centre project is designed with scalability and operational efficiency at its core. Key technical highlights include:
- Six colocation buildings providing up to 57.6 MW of IT and network capacity.
- Comprehensive administration, operations, and security facilities are integrated within the campus.
- Full site infrastructure, including power distribution, cooling, fire protection, and connectivity systems.
- Advanced energy efficiency measures to support sustainable operations while minimising the environmental footprint.
The campus design allows for flexible expansion, ensuring that future technology requirements can be accommodated without compromising operational continuity. This approach aligns with global trends in digital infrastructure development, where data centres must be adaptable to emerging technologies and increasing workloads.
Southeast Asia’s Growing Data Centre Market
Malaysia is emerging as a key hub for digital infrastructure in Southeast Asia, driven by strong demand from hyperscale cloud providers, financial institutions, and enterprise clients. The country’s strategic location, combined with supportive government policies, positions it as an attractive destination for investment in high-capacity data centre facilities.
Leighton Asia’s role in this project reflects CIMIC Group’s broader strategy to expand its presence in the region’s digital infrastructure market. By leveraging its proven delivery capability, regional experience, and technical expertise, Leighton Asia is well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of technology clients seeking reliable, scalable, and energy-efficient data centre solutions.
Commitment to Safety and Quality
Safety and quality remain core priorities for Leighton Asia. The company maintains rigorous standards for site management, workforce training, and risk mitigation, ensuring that projects are delivered safely, on time, and to the highest quality benchmarks.
The Johor Bahru project will utilise an established regional team with extensive experience in managing large-scale, technically complex projects. By integrating local knowledge with international best practices, Leighton Asia ensures that the project will meet both client expectations and regulatory requirements.
Future Outlook
The award of this data centre contract reinforces Leighton Asia’s position as a leading provider of digital infrastructure solutions in Asia. With active and completed projects spanning multiple countries, the company is continuing to expand its footprint while supporting the region’s growing demand for reliable, high-capacity data centre facilities.
Completion of the Johor Bahru project in 2028 will add significant capacity to Malaysia’s digital infrastructure landscape, enabling businesses and technology operators to scale operations efficiently while benefiting from resilient and future-ready facilities.
Leighton Asia’s success in securing and delivering projects of this scale highlights its commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and client satisfaction, setting a benchmark for the delivery of high-quality data centre infrastructure across the region.
SOURCE LINK: https://www.businesswire.com/
