Bangkok--12 Jun--Pr Plus Tw Company is Leading Government-Assisted Program to Boost Thailand IT Manpower Capacity Western Digital (Thailand) Co., Ltd (WD), Thailand’s largest employer in the hard drive industry and the world’s second largest manufacturer of hard drives, has grown faster than its expanding industry as a whole and is working with the Thai government in building a world-class workforce to support further anticipated industry growth. The company operates two manufacturing plants in Thailand and employs approximately 26,000 people, including contractors, in the country. In calendar year 2006, WD shipped 85 million hard drives worldwide for the desktop, notebook and enterprise computing markets, as well as newer consumer electronics markets such as personal video recorders and external storage appliances. By comparison, in calendar year 2002, WD shipped 35 million hard drives worldwide, equating to a 25% compound annual growth rate over the four years. The total hard drive industry shipped about 436 million units in 2006, according to IDC, an industry analyst firm, demonstrating that WD designs, manufactures and sells about 20 percent of the world wide demand for hard drives. More than half of the company’s hard drives, many sub assemblies and all of its internal recording heads are produced in Thailand. WD operates two manufacturing sites in Thailand: one located in the Bangpa-in Industrial Estate, Ayuthaya Province, and one in Navanakorn Industrial Estate. While Bangpa-in manufactures Hard Drives, the recording heads components of hard drives along with Head Stack sub assemblies Navanakorn produces Hard Drives and Head Stack Assemblies. WD also has manufacturing facilities in Malaysia, employing about 8,000 people for Hard Drive, Head Stack and PCBA’s. WD designs its facilities to be flexible in their abilities to manufacture drives and components of drives. WD expects its number of employees in Thailand to increase over the next 6months to support the hard drive industry’s anticipated growth. IDC expects the drive industry to grow at a rate of approximately 10% annually increasing overall demand for disk drives World Wide. WD recently hosted members of the local press at its hard drive manufacturing site in Bangpa-in District. Don Blake, Vice President HDD Operations Western Digital Asia, said, “The hard drive manufacturing work force in Thailand is exceptional. Skilled people and support from the Thai government are necessary for the hard drive industry and has helped WD grow to be the largest hard drive industry employer in Thailand and be one of the largest exporters in the country. WD has invested extensively in the people of Thailand with a variety of training and educational programs to continue this success into the future.” Blake added that WD’s investments include cooperation with government institutions toward developing skills for students and future employees. The company is involved with the Asian Institute Technology, one of the subsidized bodies of the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC), in supporting the Hard Disk Technology Training Institute (HTTI). The HTTI promotes the domestic hard drive manufacturing industry, with a focus for Thailand to be the world’s largest producer of hard drives. WD’s contribution to HTTI is designed to assist in expanding the organization’s training labs to accommodate more trainees and meet anticipated industry growth. WD also cooperates with several government educational institutions, including Khon Kaen University; King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology, Ladkrabang; and King Mongkut University of Technology Thonburi to implement a “I/U CRC” (Industrial/University Collaboration Research Center ) for the research and development of hard drive technology. The partnership between the company and I/U CRC and NECTEC will result in scholarships for bachelor’s and master’s degree students and implementation of research and development projects. The company also has collaborated annually with the Board of Investment (BOI) to provide hard drive technology training for BOI officers. Blake added, “It is important that appropriate Thai government groups understand the sophistication of advanced hard drive technology and the importance of a healthy, well managed supply chain. Our continued partnership will be designed to help meet the needs of a thriving market for digital storage.”About WD WD, one of the storage industry's pioneers and long-time leaders, provides products and services for people and organizations that collect, manage and use digital information. The company produces reliable, high-performance hard drives that keep users' data close-at-hand and secure from loss. WD applies its storage expertise to consumer products for external, portable and shared storage products. WD was founded in 1970. The company's storage products are marketed to leading systems manufacturers, selected resellers and retailers under the Western Digital and WD brand names. Visit the Investor section of the company's Web site ( www.westerndigital.com ) to access a variety of financial and investor information. Thai visitors can visit www.westerndigital.co.th . This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding expected growth in the hard drive industry and the number of WD employees in Thailand. These forward-looking statements are based on current management expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, including supply and demand conditions in the storage industry, and other risks and uncertainties listed in WD’s recent Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 8, 2007, to which your attention is directed. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and WD undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Western Digital, WD and the WD logo are registered trademarks of Western Digital Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks herein are property of their respective owner. For more information please contact: Pimratchada Suppasittichote Pr Plus Two Co., Ltd. Tel. +662-158-9108 www.prplus2.com Click for photo release at www.thaipr.net