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BOI okays WD's $2.3B R&D for Data Center-AI, targeting 100TB HDDs by 2029.

BOI okays WD's $2.3B R&D for Data Center-AI, targeting 100TB HDDs by 2029.

MGR Online•Economy•1d ago

Reader Briefing

Western Digital receives BOI approval for a substantial THB 2.3 billion investment in research and development for next-generation hard disk drive technology.

  • •The Board of Investment (BOI) has approved Western Digital's significant investment in R&D for HAMR technology.
  • •The project aims to increase HDD storage capacity to 100TB by 2029, supporting Data Center and AI growth.
  • •This collaborative effort involves the US, Japan, and Thailand, with Thailand focusing on laser recording components.
  • •Western Digital has a long-standing presence in Thailand, with cumulative investments exceeding THB 120 billion.

Overview

  • •The Board of Investment (BOI) approved Western Digital's investment proposal.
  • •The investment value for the research and development project is THB 2.3 billion.
  • •Western Digital aims to increase HDD storage capacity to 100TB by the year 2029.
  • •The R&D focuses on HAMR (Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording) technology to enhance HDD performance.
  • •This initiative is expected to support the growth of Data Center and AI industries.
  • •The R&D is a three-country collaboration involving the United States, Japan, and Thailand.
  • •Thailand has been a significant manufacturing base for Western Digital since 1997, with over 20,000 employees.
  • •The project is anticipated to lead to tens of billions of baht in further HAMR HDD expansion investments in Thailand.

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Key Quotes

Narue Thammasatthisak
"HAMR technology will increase HDD capacity by using localized laser heat for more precise and efficient data recording."
เทคโนโลยี HAMR จะช่วยเพิ่มความจุของ HDD โดยอาศัยการให้ความร้อนด้วยลำแสงเลเซอร์เฉพาะจุด เพื่อทำให้การบันทึกข้อมูลมีความละเอียดและมีประสิทธิภาพสูงขึ้น
Narue Thammasatthisak
"This new technology R&D project by Western Digital will play a key role in developing human resources and the smart electronics supply chain in Thailand."
โครงการวิจัยและพัฒนาเทคโนโลยีใหม่ของบริษัท เวสเทิร์น ดิจิตอล ครั้งนี้ จะมีบทบาทสำคัญต่อการพัฒนาทรัพยากรมนุษย์และห่วงโซ่อุปทานอุตสาหกรรมอิเล็กทรอนิกส์อัจฉริยะในไทย

Key Entities

Organization

BOI (Board of Investment)(บีโอไอ)ℹ️
The Thai government agency responsible for approving investment promotion in Thailand, which has approved Western Digital's project.
Western Digital(เวสเทิร์น ดิจิตอล)ℹ️
A major American hard disk drive manufacturer investing in research and development in Thailand for next-generation storage technology.
Western Digital Storage Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd.(บริษัท เวสเทิร์น ดิจิตอล สตอเรจ เทคโนโลยีส์ (ประเทศไทย) จำกัด)
The Thai subsidiary of Western Digital, which is undertaking the HAMR technology research and development project.

Person

Mr. Narue Thammasatthisak(นายนฤตม์ เทอดสถีรศักดิ์)
The Secretary-General of the Board of Investment (BOI), who announced the approval of Western Digital's investment proposal.

Technology

HAMR (Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording)(HAMR)ℹ️
A cutting-edge technology for hard disk drives that uses localized laser heat to improve data recording density and efficiency, being developed by Western Digital.
AI (Artificial Intelligence)(AI)ℹ️
A rapidly growing field that heavily relies on large-scale data processing and storage, a key driver for advancements in hard disk drive technology.
HDD (Hard Disk Drive)(HDD)ℹ️
A primary data storage device for Data Centers, whose capacity and efficiency are being significantly advanced by Western Digital's HAMR technology R&D.
Cloud Computingℹ️
A technology expanding rapidly that drives demand for large-scale data storage, making HDD technology a crucial infrastructure component.
SSD (Solid State Drive)(SSD)ℹ️
A type of storage device, generally preferred for laptops over HDDs, which has a higher cost per unit compared to HDDs for mass storage.

Industry

Data Centerℹ️
An industry segment critical for digital infrastructure that requires high-capacity and reliable data storage, which will benefit from Western Digital's advancements.

Place

United States(สหรัฐอเมริกา)ℹ️
A country collaborating with Japan and Thailand on the HAMR technology research and development project.
Japan(ญี่ปุ่น)ℹ️
A country collaborating with the United States and Thailand on the HAMR technology research and development project.
Thailand(ไทย)ℹ️
The country where Western Digital has a significant manufacturing base and is a key participant in the HAMR technology R&D collaboration.
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province(จังหวัดพระนครศรีอยุธยา)ℹ️
A province in Thailand where Western Digital operates a manufacturing plant, contributing to its significant investment and export value.
Prachinburi Province(จังหวัดปราจีนบุรี)ℹ️
A province in Thailand where Western Digital operates a manufacturing plant, contributing to its significant investment and export value.