Erica Yen, Taipei; Joseph Tsai

 

Japan-based hard disc drive (HDD) motor supplier Nidec, which contributes close to 75% of the global HDD motor shipments, has announced its Ayutthaya plants in Thailand have already resumed production and sources from the HDD industry believe it should help narrow down the HDD supply gap in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Since Nidec is also increasing its production capacities at plants in Philippine and China to help cover the impact from the floods, the company expects its motor capacity will be able to reach 100 million units in the fourth quarter.

Nidec currently has 10 production bases in Thailand with eight of them have been damaged by the floods. As water started to recede, Nidec announced its Rangsit plants, which stopped operation on October 13, already resumed production on October 25, while Ayutthaya plants also started operating normally on November 4.

Nidec's two plants in Philippine will also see their monthly capacity rise from 15 million units originally to 25 million units with capacity in China plants also increase from 10 million units to 15 million units. However, the total capacity in the fourth quarter will still drop close to 30% from 140 million units in the third.

Before the floods hit Thailand, Nidec's capacity proportions were 62%, 23% and 15% for plants in Thailand, Philippine and China, respectively. In the future, the production proportion of plants in Philippine and China will rise to 36% and 21%, respectively, reducing Thailand's proportion to only 43%.