Hochtief PPP Solutions GmbH opens YEXIO data center in Heiligenhaus

An opening full of energy, exchange, and a spirit of new beginnings

Even upon arrival, you could feel the special atmosphere: a mix of curiosity, anticipation, and the feeling of starting something new together. We were guests at the festive opening and, at the same time, right in the middle of one of the biggest milestones in our own history. Because our cloud services will run on this infrastructure in the future: fast, sustainable, sovereign, and 100% European.

A milestone for Yorizon

The 11 September 2025 marks not only the opening of a particularly innovative and thoughtfully designed building, but also the beginning of a new chapter for Yorizon. With the first YEXIO data center, realized by HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions and Palladio Partners, we now have the foundation on which we can turn our vision of a sovereign, green cloud into reality. For us as a team, it was a day full of pride and a spirit of new beginnings: a moment that showed that all the work of the past years has paid off.

Architecture meets responsibility

Instead of concrete, a structure made of solid wood rises, storing 600 tons of CO₂. The green façade gives the surroundings fresh air and biodiversity. Inside, an innovative cooling system from Thomas-Krenn.AG ensures that energy is saved and waste heat is used sensibly: among other things, to heat the municipal swimming pool in Heiligenhaus. For us, this is more than technology: it is the consistent combination of digitalization and sustainability—values that also shape our cloud services.

Proximity as a principle

Heiligenhaus was chosen deliberately: in the heart of the Düsseldorf–Essen–Wuppertal tri-city area, the location brings computing power to where it is needed. Short distances, minimal latency, data processing directly on site. For our customers, that means: cloud services in Europe, for Europe, without compromises in speed or sovereignty.

Voices from our team

Our colleagues were there with enthusiasm. For many, it was the moment when vision turned into tangible reality.

“If I think about which moment during the opening stayed with me most: when your bus arrived in front of the festival tent and I waved to you, I didn’t yet know what a special moment was about to come my way. One after the other, you got out and I had the pleasure of greeting each of you personally. The line of people just didn’t seem to end. For me, that was the most moving moment of the whole day.”

- Gernot Hofstetter, CO-CEO

“The moment when we drove up the access road with the shuttle and suddenly stood directly in front of the data center stayed especially in my mind. It looked even more impressive in real life than in the renderings, and in that moment I realized what we had been working toward for months. That gave me real goosebumps. What especially delighted me was the positive and open atmosphere in the team; everyone was impressed and full of appreciation. The team spirit on that day: motivated, connected, proud.”

- Christopher Ladenko, Marketing

“The construction and opening of this ecologically sustainable data center are a milestone for digital sovereignty: they combine technological independence with responsibility for the environment. When I saw the Yexio illuminated sign on the building, it was a celebratory day. What impressed me most was the combination of building a data center from sustainable materials that is at the same time highly technical and state of the art. And when we took our group photo in front of the main entrance, it was a very bonding and unforgettable moment.”

- Kiril Laminger, Data Center Operations

“Seeing so many colleagues in one place and talking with so many of them was something very special. Since the rain held off that day, we were able to keep going outside again and again to admire the data center. It is a big step for us and our holistic concept to now offer our cloud services in this local and sustainable data center. The atmosphere in the team was incredibly motivated. It was wonderful to see how this moment carried everyone away.”

- Olivia Brockmann, Marketing

Celebrated together – launched together

The opening was a celebration with partners, guests, and many exciting conversations. But for us it was more than that: an emotional starting signal that the entire Yorizon team celebrated. From technology to product development to Customer Success, everyone was there, and everyone felt it: This is our moment.

Partnership with Bechtle Rheinland

Alongside HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions, Palladio Partners, and Thomas-Krenn.AG, Bechtle Rheinland was also represented at the opening in Heiligenhaus—a special moment, because on that day the strategic partnership between Yorizon and Bechtle Rheinland was symbolically sealed.
Together, we want to bring the idea of a sovereign, sustainable cloud to a broader audience: Bechtle integrates our open-source-based Yorizon Cloud into its portfolio to give customers in Germany and Europe greater digital independence, transparency, and sustainability.

The partnership combines two strong approaches—local data center infrastructure and IT service excellence—and underlines that digital sovereignty can only be achieved together.

👉 Read more about the partnership with Bechtle Rheinland

A beginning with a view ahead

Heiligenhaus is just the beginning. Further YEXIO locations are already in planning. Together with our partners, a network of decentralized data centers is being created that forms the foundation for a sovereign and sustainable cloud in Europe. And we are right in the middle of it.

Thank you!

We would like to thank HOCHTIEF PPP Solutions, Palladio Partners, Thomas-Krenn.AG, and the City of Heiligenhaus, and of course our own team as well. Without your enthusiasm, your commitment, and your pioneering spirit, this moment would not have been possible. Together, we have shown: digitalization can be sovereign, sustainable, and human at the same time.

Outlook and invitation

The first milestone is set. Now we invite you to experience the new cloud for yourself. With our API trials, companies, partners, and interested parties can test our platform in practice sovereign, sustainable, future-proof.

Heiligenhaus is therefore not just a location on the map, but a symbol of the move into a new era. And for Yorizon, it is a chapter that we are continuing to write with enthusiasm.