Silicon: memories are made of this
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Hard drive shortage looms as floods breach Western Digital plant
HARD DRIVE MAKER Western Digital has warned of hard drive shortages due to severe flooding in Thailand.
Western Digital has suspended its operations in Thailand following the devastating floods that have brought parts of the country to a standstill. The firm reports flood waters breached its factory's defences and submerged some of its manufacturing equipment, and while its plants outside of Thailand are still operational, there will be a decline in production.
Western Digital issued a statement saying, "The company now expects that the flooding of its Thailand facilities, combined with flood damage to the company's supply chain in Thailand, will have significant impact on the company's overall operations and its ability to meet customer demand for its products in the December quarter."
Analysis outfit IHS Isuppli also noted the Thailand floods could lead to a shortage of hard drives during the fourth quarter of 2011 and continue into the first quarter of 2012. The firm notes that Toshiba has also suspended its hard drive manufacturing operations in Thailand, but that Seagate's head stack and gimbal assembly plants in Thailand have continued production unaffected by the floods.
As with most things, with hard drive supply tightening, the customary price drops for high capacity drives might take a few months longer to materialise. However the disruption is unlikely to have much effect on the smartphone and tablet industry, as those devices use mostly flash memory. µ
Tags: Hardware
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It is so sad to see big giant corporations losing image and goodwill in the eye of the world. As the norm said that big corporation usually plans well and considered risk properly before stepping a leg into a sinking boat. How come a blind leading a blind bringing into so many giant companies into the pool of risk. And to say, this risk is known and can be seen from year to year. Who will take the huge responsibility of causing global shortage? Definitely, all these companies will one another telling their own part of excuses to evade the taking of full responsibility. Nevertheless, this kind of carelessness in the name of International Standard Company can not be apologised. It is really very ashamed.