German company Rosenberger OSI is looking to make a name for itself as a top-tier supplier of fiber for the U.S. data center market, expanding beyond its stronghold in Europe in a bid to capitalize on explosive growth across the pond.
Founded in 1991, Rosenberger OSI is the fiber optic division of The Rosenberger Group and provides fiber optic components for a range of verticals, including the automotive, avionics, telecom and data center sectors. The Group is a $1.29 billion company with more than 14,000 employees and manufacturing centers in Europe, Asia and North America.
Andy Shields is Rosenberger Site Solutions' VP of Data Center Solutions. He told Fierce the company is already a “very significant player” in Europe and to some extent in Asia but until now had no prior experience in the U.S. data center market. The company hired Shields – whose previous roles include positions at Level 3 Communications, Equinix, Digital Realty, Cyxtera and Panduit – about a year ago to change that.
Shields said he knows the company has a mountain to climb, especially given it’s going up against big name vendors like Corning and CommScope with little brand recognition of its own. But the fight is worth it, he said.
"It’s all about the digital economy. They’re the foundation for everything we do. Everything we do is based on a combination of networks and data centers and clouds...The space is booming,” he said. “I know that’s why Rosenberger wanted to see what we could do in the U.S. The market is expanding dramatically and they want to be a part of that growth here in the U.S. and North America.”
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According to Shields, Rosenberger is pitching two key value propositions. First, thanks to its manufacturing presence and warehouse facilities across the country, it can sell directly to companies rather than through a distributor. Second, it is open to working on custom solutions.
Given his role is essentially to build up a new business from scratch, Shields said the company hasn’t yet set growth targets. However, he noted it was able to get “a few small deals” done last year and is currently in talks with hyperscalers about potential projects.
“Suffice to say we’ve been in conversations with the Microsofts, the Googles, the Amazons of the world about some of the components they’re looking for that will satisfy different requirements they have that are not available today in the market,” Shields said. “The hyperscalers are looking for solutions that are a cut above, and we welcome that challenge.”
This article has been updated to clarify the distinction between Rosenberger OSI and The Rosenberger Group.