February 10, 201016 yr Computer maker plans first non-US plant in Thailand BANGKOK: -- (AFP) - US computer maker Hutchinson will launch its first overseas operations in Thailand, with an assembly plant to open later this year, Thailand's Board of Investment (BOI) announced Wednesday. The 121 million-dollar investment is a boon for Thailand's expanding hard disk drive industry, said BOI's Deputy Secretary General Ajarin Pattanapanchai, in a statement. "The fact that Hutchinson chose Thailand as its overseas production base confirms that foreign investors continue to have strong confidence in Thailand," said Ajarin. The assembly plant will be based in Thailand's central Ayutthaya province and is due for completion in August 2010, with production beginning two months later. It will produce the suspension parts for hard disk drive manufacturers in Thailand and abroad. Hard disk drive manufacturers Seagate Technology, Western Digital, Toshiba, and Hitachi Global Storage already have bases in Thailand, said the BOI. -- ©Copyright AFP 2010-02-10 Published with written approval from AFP. [newsfooter][/newsfooter]
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