Following last week’s 439 layoffs at Western Digital Corp in Singapore (CI No 3,411), the company has started constructing a new research and development center in Rochester, Minnesota. The new site will be home to the company’s Enterprise Storage Group and will have the capacity to employ between 500 and 600 staff. At the moment, Western Digital employs 400 full time staff in Rochester and 50 part time staff. The troubled computer disk drive manufacturer will consolidate the new 57-acre site with its existing operations in Rochester, providing it with twice the space. It currently employs 1,400 at the Asian facility. Following the job cuts at its Singapore manufacturing facility last week Western Digital has been quick to iterate that employment opportunities expected to increase. The company has said that consolidated facilities will help it achieve its goals, which can be translated as enabling it to cut costs in what is a difficult time. The Irvine, California headquartered company has just reported third quarter net losses of $45.0m down from profits last time of $82.6m on revenues down 24.2% at $831.3m; nine-month net losses were $127.5m down from profits last time of $179.8m on revenues down 6.7% at $3.1bn. Nine month figures include a $148m charge for the reduction of inventory levels (CI No 3,398).
