WD Plans CO Design Center

LONGMONT, Colo. -- Western Digital(R)(NYSE:WDC) today announced that it has selected a site and signed a multi-year lease for its planned hard drive design center in Longmont, Colo.The company worked closely with the Longmont Area Economic Council in finding a location that would suit its needs. WD expects the design center to be operational by December 1, 2007.

The second-largest hard drive manufacturer worldwide, WD is growing quickly.The company has grown revenues about 20 percent per year for the past five years, doubling annual revenue from $2.7 billion to $5.5 billion between fiscal year 2003 and fiscal year 2007.

Establishing the new design center is one move the company is making to facilitate continued growth by expanding its engineering capability. A significant hard drive engineering talent pool is in Longmont, built from a long history of industry companies locating design arms there.

"Our growth and diversification these past few years is a result of continued, substantial investment in people, technology and equipment," said John Coyne, president and CEO for WD. "The Longmont design center is an important part of that investment and expansion strategy."

Western Digital Corp.