In the first quarter this year, both the largest producer of hard drives - Western Digital's and Seagate - showed a decline in quarterly sales volumes, each about 20%. In the autumn they can consistently increase the volume of HDD shipments, but in respect of the annual supply will continue to decline. The situation is the decisive step made by Western Digital company. In May, it completed the takeover of SanDisk.
Together with the business of Western Digital SanDisk got together with Toshiba's laboratories and factories. According to Japanese sources, Western Digital and Toshiba together will invest in the next three years to expand its advanced power plant in Yokkaichi 1.5 mrld yen ($ 14.6 billion).
The production site in Yokkaichi (there is a factory Fab 5, and completely remodeled a year ago Fab 2) after completion of all modernization phases promises to be one of the most powerful release for Flash 3D NAND. As the production volume of the multilayer memory twice surpass Chinese factory for Samsung 3D NAND release. In that partners see the chance to eventually catch up with and surpass Samsung, Intel and Micron company.
Volume of planned funding for the expansion of capacities for the production of multi-layer flash memory increased by 30% compared with the same cost. As partners plan, already within the next financial year, the share of memory 3D NAND in the flow of production of the companies will reach 50%. In 2018 fiscal year, the share of the multi-layer memory will increase to 80%. It seems, Toshiba and Western Digital is no longer going to bet on nanoimprint lithography. Earlier it was planned that after the production of planar flash memory with the norms of 15 nm using a lithographic scanners partners transferred release "2D NAND" on nanoimprint.