Igneo Infrastructure Partners and Japan's Orix Corp. are among the companies vying for Macquarie Asset Management's majority stake in a Dutch hyperscale data center, according to people familiar with the matter. The stake, which could be valued at approximately $900 million (€1 billion), has drawn interest from several suitors, with Canada's Northleaf Capital also proceeding in the bidding process. The final offers from the interested parties are expected to be submitted next month.

Industry insiders attribute the high interest in the data center to the growing demand for hyperscale data storage solutions. "The Dutch data center market has seen significant growth in recent years, driven by the increasing need for cloud infrastructure and data storage," said a spokesperson for a leading data center provider. "We expect this trend to continue, with more companies looking to invest in the sector."

Macquarie Asset Management acquired the majority stake in the Dutch data center in 2020, as part of its efforts to expand its portfolio of infrastructure assets. The data center, which is located in the Netherlands, provides high-density data storage solutions to major cloud providers and enterprise customers.

The sale of Macquarie's stake in the data center is seen as a significant opportunity for investors to tap into the growing demand for hyperscale data storage solutions. "The Dutch data center market is highly attractive due to its strategic location, favorable regulatory environment, and access to renewable energy sources," said a spokesperson for Igneo Infrastructure Partners.

The sale process is expected to be completed in the coming months, with the final offers from the interested parties to be submitted next month. The sale of Macquarie's stake in the data center is likely to have a significant impact on the Dutch data center market, with the new owner expected to play a key role in shaping the sector's future.

Macquarie Asset Management has not commented on the sale process, but industry insiders expect the company to continue to play a significant role in the Dutch data center market, even after the sale of its stake. The sale of the data center is seen as a strategic move by Macquarie to monetize its assets and redeploy capital into other infrastructure opportunities.