Fujitsu is ramping up its hard disc manufacturing
business and moving into different markets to keep up with demand
for changing formats.
Fujitsu estimates worldwide demand for 2.5-inch mobile PC drives
will rise from 8.1 million units in 2005 to 21 million by 2010. It
also estimates that demand for 1.8-inch drives will rise from 1.6
million units to nine million units over the same period.
The company plans to increase its overall hard drive shipments
to 5.4 million by 2008, which is just over double the 2.6 million
drives it shipped in 2005.
To achieve this expansion the company will focus on the
expanding 2.5-inch market for laptop and consumer electronics
products, and move into the market for 1.8-inch drives designed for
laptops and products such as portable digital music players.
The company will also start making 2.5-inch drives for servers.
Fujitsu said that in 2005, the non-IT market represented only about
20% of the overall drive market. But it said this is expected to
grow to one-third in 2008 and 44% in 2010.
One of the fastest-growing segments is for 1.8-inch hard
disc drives, which are used in products such as Apple’s iPod music
player. To enter this market Fujitsu is jointly developing a
1.8-inch drive with manufacturer Cornice.
The pair expect to have their first 1.8-inch offering available
on the market by autumn 2007.