Aether buys old gearbox factory in Strasbourg for AI data center

French AI consortium Aether Infrastructures has signed a preliminary agreement to buy the 90-hectare Dumarey Powerglide site in Strasbourg's Port du Rhin district for its first data center, FR-SXB1. The site has 25MW of grid power available and a biomass plant is planned; opening is targeted for 2027.

• The 90-hectare site formerly housed a gearbox factory closed with 320 job losses
• 25MW of grid power is available, with biomass generation under study
• Partners include SiPearl, 2CRSi, Nhood and Dassault Systèmes
• Aether is seeking funding from the EU's €20bn AI gigafactories program