Western Digital Plans More CapEx Spending
Lake Forest disk drive maker Western Digital Corp. plans to spend up to $65 million on capital expenditures in its fiscal year through June 2003, according to the company’s annual report.
Most of the spending is earmarked for what Western Digital called “normal replacement of assets” and for the expansion of the company’s Thailand plant.
Western Digital acquired the 155,000-square-foot desktop drive plant in Bangkok in January from Fujitsu Ltd.
In its annual report, Western Digital said it “continually evaluates which steps in the manufacturing process would benefit from automation and how automated manufacturing processes can improve productivity and reduce manufacturing costs.”
During Western Digital’s 2002 fiscal year ended June 28, capital expenditures were $47.7 million, primarily for replacement of assets and purchases for the Thai factory.
MSC Signs Licensing Deal With Bombardier
Santa Ana-based MSC.Software Corp. has signed a $1.85 million licensing deal with Montreal’s Bombardier Inc.
The deal is with Bombardier Transportation, a unit that makes trains and rail transportation systems. Bombardier Transportation already uses several MSC software products, which are used to simulate and analyze industrial designs.
“Increasing our business within key accounts is an important component of revenue growth during these tight economic times,” said Frank Perna, MSC’s chief executive.
Fluor Settles Dispute
Canada’s Bema Gold Corp. and Kinross Gold Corp. said they’ve received $24 million from Aliso Viejo-based Fluor Corp. to settle charges of design and construction flaws at the Refugio Mine in Chile.
Earlier this year, a binding arbitration proceeding in Chile ruled in favor of the Canadian mining companies, which each own half of Chilean mine operator Compania Minera Maricunga. The companies went to arbitration against Fluor in 1999.
Fluor was ordered to pay $20 million plus interest from July 1999. Earlier this year, Fluor said it was considering “all available options to contest the award.”
