Western Digital expands in Thailand with $693 million project

The investment is expected to boost the Thai economy by adding 200 billion baht yearly exports and creating 10,000 jobs.

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Thailand has given the green light to Western Digital’s $693 million project to expand hard disk production within the country. The investment, announced by Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI), is set to enhance the nation’s economy, adding 200 billion baht in annual exports and creating 10,000 new jobs. Western Digital employs 28,000 people in Thailand, a key hub where 80% of the world’s hard disks are produced.

The approval is part of a broader trend in Thailand’s hard disk industry, which has seen 82.6 billion baht in investments over the past decade. Last year, Seagate, a rival in the industry, also expanded its operations with a 16 billion baht investment, highlighting the growing demand driven by cloud technology and data centres.

As Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, Thailand aims to attract 800 billion baht in overall investment applications by 2024, reflecting its strategic push to remain one of the bigger leaders in hard disk manufacturing.