DE-CIX welcomes GRASS-MERKUR & IP-Max as premium partners
DE-CIX has added GRASS-MERKUR and IP-Max to its roster of premium partners as part of the company's global interconnection partner ecosystem.
GRASS-MERKUR, headquartered in Hanover, and Geneva-based IP-Max, will now offer their customers DE-CIX's suite of interconnection services. These services include access to more than 50 cloud providers, support for enterprise requirements such as low latency and high bandwidth connectivity between offices, and peering arrangements at scale. The premium partnership status, valid for two years, recognises partners considered by DE-CIX as particularly successful and brings exclusive benefits such as improved margins, personal support, and joint marketing opportunities.
Service expansion
Both GRASS-MERKUR and IP-Max emphasised the advantages this partnership brings to their existing client base. The connection of GRASS-MERKUR's Hanover data centre to the DE-CIX interconnection ecosystem enables direct and private data exchanges between cloud environments. Markus Dietz, Head of Business Development, Sales & Marketing at GRASS-MERKUR, stated:
"Together with DE-CIX, we offer our clients even more powerful and reliable interconnection services – the ideal complement to hybrid operating models supported by our colocation, cloud, and managed services."
The partnership comes at a significant moment for IP-Max, which is marking a decade of working with DE-CIX. Frederic Gargula, Chairman & CEO of IP-Max, reflected on the evolution of this collaboration and the value of achieving premium status:
"This evolution of the long collaboration - we celebrate 10 years of the partnership this year - is an important step toward ensuring top-tier connectivity. Achieving premium status confirms our expertise and allows us to offer innovative solutions."
Partner programme changes
DE-CIX has recently expanded and revised its partner programme, now known as R3 (Resell–Refer–Reach). The update targets a broader range of IT and network service businesses, including managed service providers, system integrators, IT consultancies, and wholesale and resale partners. Components of the programme include global round-the-clock support and a newly introduced AI-powered chatbot, designed to assist partners with portfolio questions and sales training.
Mareike Jacobshagen, Head of Global Business Partner Program at DE-CIX, highlighted the importance of such partnerships in a rapidly digitalising landscape. She said:
"Business can only be successful with the support of partnerships and networks. Whether data-driven business models or digitalized value chains - society and the economy rely on robust digital infrastructure. To meet the demand for secure, resilient, and neutral connectivity, IT service providers and Internet Exchanges play a key role."
30 years of operations
DE-CIX will mark its 30th year in 2025, having grown from its initial Frankfurt Internet Exchange to a footprint spanning 60 points of presence across Europe, Africa, the Americas, the Middle East, and Asia. Its network can be accessed from more than 600 cities worldwide, connecting over 1,000 carriers, Internet service providers, content providers, and enterprise networks from over 100 countries. As of 2024, DE-CIX Frankfurt alone handles nearly 45 exabytes of data volume annually and is among the largest Internet Exchanges globally.
Other companies in the DE-CIX premium partner programme include Angola Cables, Arelion, Cancom, Core-Backbone, envia TEL, Epsilon, RETN, TelemaxX, Türk Telekom International, and V.tal, reflecting the breadth of the programme across regions and service domains.
