Realord Technology Holdings (01196.HK) has announced its entry into the Southeast Asian artificial intelligence infrastructure market, unveiling plans to develop an AI data center campus in Johor, Malaysia, with total capacity of up to approximately 300 megawatts. The announcement sent the company's shares surging nearly 6% at their intraday peak on October 9, with the stock up 4.63% to HK$3.725 as of press time, on turnover of HK$18.2129 million.
The move positions Realord Technology alongside some of the world's largest infrastructure investors in one of Asia's fastest-growing data center markets. By scale, 300MW is equivalent to roughly one-fifth of Johor's current total data center capacity, placing it in the same tier as the 280MW Johor project announced by Blackstone's AirTrunk in April this year with a $3 billion investment. The company noted that if the project is completed as planned, it would rank among the largest AI data center campuses in Johor.
Market attention focused on a cooperation memorandum released the previous evening, under which Realord Technology, through its subsidiary Realord Intelligent Computing Technology Group Limited, signed a memorandum of understanding with Longma Intelligent Computing Investment Limited for the Johor AI data center project. According to the announcement, the two parties intend to explore acquiring land in Johor to construct facilities and related infrastructure dedicated to AI data center development, supporting artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and other high-performance computing applications. The proposed facilities are expected to include power supply and distribution systems, cooling systems, and other necessary infrastructure to house high-performance computing equipment. The project is planned with total capacity of up to approximately 300MW, to be developed in phases, with the first phase comprising approximately 100MW.
Under the division of responsibilities outlined in the memorandum, Realord Intelligent Computing will be responsible for the design, construction, ownership, and operation of the project, while Longma Intelligent Computing, as the project facilitator, brings relevant experience and industry resources in AI data center project development, covering project planning, construction, operations and management, financing, and computing services. Longma Intelligent Computing is expected to assist Realord Intelligent Computing in discussions with landowners regarding potential land acquisitions and to coordinate technical, commercial, and other resources for project development. Realord Technology, for its part, is expected to leverage its property development and project management capabilities to advance the development of the data center facilities and related infrastructure. Detailed terms of participation and cooperation between the two parties will be subject to further agreements.
Realord Technology stated that this move represents a business exploration into the AI computing infrastructure sector under the company's "traditional industry + digital economy" strategy. For the company, the cooperation represents an extension from its traditional property development business into the digital infrastructure arena. Johor, due to its proximity to Singapore and relatively advantageous land and power costs, has become a hot destination for data center investment in Southeast Asia in recent years. Realord Technology's planned 300MW capacity, if successfully implemented, would become one of the largest AI data center campuses in the region, putting it in direct competition with the deployments of major international asset managers.
Market observers believe that with AI computing demand continuing to expand, data centers as critical infrastructure will see site selection and power acquisition capabilities become the core factors determining project success. Whether Realord Technology can secure suitable land in Johor and complete power supply arrangements will be a key focus going forward. It is worth noting that the memorandum of understanding is only a preliminary statement of intent, and specific investment amounts, timelines, and final terms have not yet been determined. Realord Technology also did not disclose the estimated capital expenditure scale for the project in its announcement. Investors should be aware that multiple uncertainties remain from the memorandum to a formal agreement and eventual groundbreaking.
Realord Technology Plans 300MW AI Data Center in Johor, Shares Surge Nearly 6%
By: IDCNOVARegion: Southeast Asia