This reputation is further bolstered by the expansion of the CTS Group, one of Europe’s largest data center design and construction companies, which has made Portugal a cornerstone of its international operations.

The CTS Group’s commitment to Portugal has driven significant growth and innovation. In 2024, the group achieved a turnover of €900 million, a figure supported by the success of its operations in Portugal, where over 500 employees are already contributing to transformative projects. CTS Europe, a subsidiary of the CTS Group, has forged strong partnerships with Portuguese companies in fields such as architecture, engineering, electrical systems, mechanical construction, and software development. These collaborations have enabled Portuguese firms to expand their footprint in Nordic countries while establishing CTS Europe as a leader in the Portuguese data center sector.

The group's ambitions for Portugal extend even further, with plans to create 500 additional jobs in the coming years to meet international demand and domestic market needs. Key locations across the country illustrate this growth. In Lisbon, over 50 professionals are engaged in engineering projects. In Leiria, the establishment of Velox Electro has created more than 200 jobs focused on data center construction. A joint venture with Mecwide in Barcelos has similarly employed over 200 workers. Meanwhile, in Porto, CTS Nordics acquired a majority stake in BIMMS, a local engineering firm with a workforce of more than 100 professionals.

One of the most exciting areas of development is Sines, where the partnership between CTS Group and Mecwide is playing a crucial role. Sines, already recognized as a strategic hub for undersea cables and global connectivity, is poised to become a critical location for new data center projects. The region’s infrastructure and capacity for large-scale projects make it a prime destination for technological innovation and investment.

Portugal’s combination of exceptional talent, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and strategic partnerships with industry leaders like CTS Group underscores its extraordinary position on the global high-tech and data center map, cementing its role as a gateway to the future.

Author

Paulo Lopes is a multi-talent Portuguese citizen who made his Master of Economics in Switzerland and studied law at Lusófona in Lisbon - CEO of Casaiberia in Lisbon and Algarve.

Paulo Lopes