Norwegian data center firm Lefdal Mine is expanding with plans for a second site on the country’s west coast.

As reported by local press including Firda, Lefdal Mine Datacenter has acquired Titan Group AS, taking over a site in Moskog earmarked for a data center.

Moskog is an area in Sunnfjord Municipality in Vestland county, on the west coast of Norway.

Titan Group AS had secured 40 acres within the Sunnfjord Business Park (Sunnfjord Naringspark) with plans to build a data center. Full details of the planned facility have not been shared, but Lefdal Mine reportedly aims to invest NOK 9 billion ($938m) in the project.

“Today, we have financed and built one of the leading data centers in Europe in Nordfjord, and we operate it. Through this, we have acquired the expertise and finances to grow further,” said says Jørn Skaane, CEO of LMD. “We want to develop regions by establishing permanent jobs and building expertise. We have considered several locations in Norway and believe that Sunnfjord Næringspark is an ideal location. Close enough that we can use the expertise we already have, but far enough away that we establish a new value chain and supplier industry. We look forward to helping develop Sunnfjord.”

The company signed an agreement with Sunnfjord Municipality over the summer to purchase a plot of land for NOK 74 million ($7.7m). Sunnfjord Municipality’s website now lists Lefdal Mine as owning the 40-acre plot.

There were several potential buyers for Titan, its founders told Firda., but they settled on selling to Lefdal Mine.

“The reason for this was, among other things, their clear strategy to utilize local businesses, in addition to their documented ability to create long-term jobs and build a professional and solid company,” said Thomas Gribbestad and Thor Arne Ullaland, former owners of Titan Group AS.

Arcem is separately looking to develop a data center in the Sunnfjord park.

First announced in 2015 and opened in 2017, Lefdal Mine’s facility in Måløy in Vestland County is potentially Europe's largest data center in floor space with up to 120,000 sqm (1.3 million sq ft) in 75 underground halls - although the vast majority of the old olivine mine caverns remain empty. Lefdal has around 37MW of operational capacity, and a further 43MW of contracted capacity currently under construction.

The site in Sunnfjord is some 120km away from Lefdal Mine’s existing facility.

Investment firm 3i Infrastructure took a majority stake in Lefdal Mine earlier this year.