Western Digital expects to rebuild its production capacities to pre-flood levels by September, 2012, the company said this week. The manufacturer aims to repair its two factories in Thailand and bring back its output to normal levels in several months from now. Until then, shortages of hard drives will likely persist.

"Our focus today is on bringing back our capacity to rapidly support our customers," said John Coyne, chief executive officer of WD, adding the impact of the floods had reduced its output by 30%, according to Reuters news-agency.

Back in early December WD said that it had restarted production of hard drives in one of its buildings in Bang Pa-in (BPI), Thailand. The company removed all submerged slider manufacturing equipment from the BPI facilities for assessment, decontamination and refurbishment and has commenced decontamination and restoration of its remaining buildings in BPI. Western Digital expects to recommence head slider production in BPI in the Q1 2012 quarter (Q3 FY2012) and also begin production in a new WD slider fab location in Penang, Malaysia, in the same time frame.

The company's other Thailand hard drive facilities at Navanakorn are currently decontaminated and refurbished. The plants are projected to resume production in March and WD expects to restore its output by September, 2012.

Tags: WD, Western Digital, HDD, Business