Nidec Corp., a leading supplier of hard disk drive (HDD) motors and other components, said on Monday that in a bid to boost its manufacturing capacities in Thailand it had leased an alternative factory located outside inundated locations.

Following the restart of operations at the Rangsit Factory and one of the Ayutthaya Factories, Nidec commenced alternative production of HDD motors at a leased factory in Rayong Province located outside the flooded areas, which is intended to temporarily substitute for the company’s currently inactive Bangkadi Factory.

Nidec, which is based on Kyoto, Japan, produces hard disk drive (HDD) motors (at three factories), HDD motor components (at two facilities) and HDD base plates (at two fabs) in Thailand. In addition, the firm makes home appliance motors, camera shutters and lens units, inspection fixtures. By now, two HDD motor factories, one HDD motor components manufacturing facility and one HDD base plates making fabs are operational in the flooded country.

"We will continue our efforts to further improve the utilization of the factories whose operations have resumed and to bring the Company’s other flood-stricken factories back into operation to the earliest extent possible. [...] We will continue to report on any actual or potential impact on the company’s business performance in a prompt manner.

The exact amount of damage and the effect of the floods on the Nidec’s performance are being assessed currently. Actual production capacities of Nidec are unknown, but it is believed to be the world's largest supplier of HDD motors and any disruption at its facilities can cause shortages.

Tags: Nidec, HDD, Business, WD, Western Digital, Seagate, Hitachi, Toshiba, Samsung