Orange Business & Grifols Unite for Egyptian Colocation

French telecoms giant Orange has teamed up with global healthcare company Grifols, to build a supply of essential therapeutics for life-threatening diseases in Egypt.

Orange Business –  the enterprise division of telecoms company, Orange Group – has completed the first stage of a new data centre and communications infrastructure in Cairo, for Grifols Egypt for Plasma Derivatives (GEPD).

GEPD is a joint venture between Grifols and Egypt's National Service Projects Organisation (NSPO), which builds military and civilian products and provides contracting services. 

The project is part of Egypt's goal to achieve self-sufficiency in plasma-derived medicines - vital treatments extracted from blood plasma for certain medical conditions. 

Orange supports Egyptian healthcare with colocation

Orange is a leading telecommunications operator, with revenues of US$42bn in 2023 and 285m customers across the world. In 2023, the Group presented its strategic plan "Lead the Future", built on a new business model and guided by responsibility and efficiency. "Lead the Future" capitalises on network excellence to reinforce Orange's leadership in service quality. 

Grifols is a specialist in plasma-derived medicines and is seeking to interconnect critical healthcare facilities, including a plasma laboratory, colocation data centre, plasma warehouse and 20 plasma donation centres. 

Orange Business is providing colocation services, which will allow GEPD to house its servers in Orange's data centre. The company is also supplying communication services and support with equipment procurement.

A data centre colocation company offers rental space for businesses to keep their servers in, providing the necessary infrastructure to support these servers, such as the physical security and power supply, as well as cooling systems to maintain optimal temperatures and make sure that the equipment runs properly. Colocation companies offer businesses high-speed internet connections and complete routine maintenance to keep the servers running smoothly. Through the use of a colocation service, businesses can enjoy their data needs being taken care of, without having to invest in building and their own facilities.

Interconnected critical facilities, including colocation data centre, will ensure a better quality of life for Egyptian patients 

For Dr. Ahmed Serag, Chief Strategy and Projects Officer in GEPD, this achievement enhances GEPD's strategy. This prioritises utilising new technologies, while ensuring a positive impact on the industry, economy and - most importantly - the quality of life for Egyptian patients.  

"We are glad to announce this successful collaboration with Orange Business,” he said. "Grifols Egypt WAN will interconnect critical facilities, including a plasma laboratory, colocation data centre, plasma warehouse, 20 plasma donation centres and a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. This comprehensive network infrastructure will ensure efficient operations and the timely delivery of plasma-derived medicines to patients in need.” 

Khaled Abbas, ACUD’s Chairman and Managing Director, also celebrated the collaboration with Orange Business and the ongoing development of Egypt’s communication infrastructure and healthcare systems. He shared that this would benefit medical centres across the country, including the Medical City. 

In addition, ACUD’s role in developing one of the Middle East’s leading regional data centres - integral to the Digital Egypt Strategy and serving all New Administrative Capital (NAC) clients - was a boost for the country. 

Kristof Symons, CEO International at Orange Business, commented that he was delighted that the company could help to strengthen the national health project in Egypt.

“This ambitious project empowered by Grifols Egypt for Plasma Derivatives (GEPD) should be an example of how private and government institutions are in the best position to enable fundamental changes for a country,” he shared. “Our technical skills, experienced resources, and global knowledge were pivotal in enabling Grifols to replicate its global business model in Egypt. This project shows how Orange Business can support its customers in creating a positive impact in today’s society.”

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