Up-and-coming thin film head maker Read-Rite Corp, Milpitas, California reports that it has signed a 10-year lease for a new 189,000 square foot fabrication facility, including 30,000 square feet of cleanroom, in Fremont: the new facility will enable it to increase production of its newest configurations of thin film heads and will be capable of producing heads with magnetoresistive read capability, and should be fully equipped during the second half of next year; Read-Rite also reports thyat production of thin film heads at its Japanese joint venture, Read-Rite SMI Corp, has begun on schedule at its new factory, near Osaka and that wafers have been inspected at Read-Rite’s Milpitas headquarters with excellent results; the Japanese company, founded last year, is a joint venture with Sumitomo Metal Industries.
