Thought Leadership
Toshiba has invested around 380 million dollars in its plant in the Philippines. Hard drives with over 30 TB are set to follow starting in 2027, and 65 TB around 2030.
Toshiba has invested around 60 billion yen, roughly equivalent to 380 million US dollars, in expanding its hard drive manufacturing in the Philippines. With this, the company is doubling its production capacity for nearline hard drives in fiscal year 2027 compared to fiscal year 2025. This was reported by the Japanese business newspaper Nikkei. According to Toshiba, the first drives from the new production lines have already been shipped. It is the company’s first major investment in hard drive manufacturing in around five years.
New Lines at the Laguna Plant
The additional production lines are located at the Laguna Technopark (LTI) plant. Next-generation hard drives offering up to 40 percent more capacity per drive are also to be manufactured there. According to Tom’s Hardware, this refers to the M12 series, which relies on microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR), utilizes up to eleven platters, and is expected to store more than 30 TB. Additionally, Toshiba is automating cleanroom workflows and drive testing. This is intended to improve yield and reduce the need for additional personnel by 40 percent.
65 TB Around 2030, Later 100 TB
For 2027, Toshiba has also announced 40 TB-class hard drives with up to twelve platters. Around 2030, the company aims to begin mass production of 65 TB-class drives, with 100 TB hard drives set to follow later. Toshiba wants to increase its market share measured in shipped exabytes from currently around 10 to 30 percent in the medium term.
Demand From AI Data Centers
The demand for nearline hard drives has surged, driven primarily by AI data centers. Seagate and Western Digital are already delivering 30 TB and 40 TB-class drives. Toshiba currently offers models with 24 TB (CMR) and 28 TB (SMR). According to Tom’s Hardware, the company has sold out its entire production in recent quarters.
(Editorial Team)
