- Seagate is ready to buy Invac, a specialist in Hamr Drive -Production
- Hamr is seen as the technology that will run HDDs to 100 TB+
- The move is a serious blow to Western Digital and Toshiba’s own hamr plans
Seagate charges ahead in its quest to produce superstore HDDs. MOT In late January 2025, the world’s largest hard drive supplier introduced a 36TB model -arrived just a month after it debuted with a 32TB -and revealed at the time a 60TB drive is on the way.
Now, the company has announced plans to acquire Invac, a company known for manufacturing sputtering systems that use ultra-thin layers of material, such as an iron-platinum alloy (FEPT), for HDD plates. This advanced landfill process allows for the creation of magnetic layers with higher uniformity, improved signal-to-noise conditions and fewer defects, which potentially results in closer data storage. Over 65% of the world’s hard disk production is produced using Intevac’s systems that work for more than 50 million discs per day. Month. The technology is considered important for perpendicular magnetic uptake (PMR) and heat -assisted magnetic uptake (Hamr).
Hamr, which lowers magnetic resistance by heating the drive, allows data to be written in smaller, more stable bits and is likely to be a key factor in HDDs reaching 100 TB of capacities. By buying Intevac, Seagate has potentially scored a big win over its rivals. Seagate is Intevac’s primary customer, but Western Digital is also one, and it together with Toshiba Hamr drives in the works.
Unanimously approved
The final agreement will see Seagate acquiring Inevac in an all-contact transaction for $ 4 per Stock. Intevac also pays a one -time special yield of $ 0.052 per year. Separately, Invac’s Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly dividend of $ 0.05 per year.
As a result of the move, Intevac will no longer hold its earnings call set at 25 February.
Intevac’s Board of Directors has unanimously (and surprisingly) approved the transaction and recommended that all shareholders padde their shares in the offer.
Acquisition is expected to close at the end of March or early April 2025, although, as, as, as Blocks and files Points out: “Western Digital or Resonac [which counts Toshiba as a customer] Or both could object to the agreement at reduced competition places that could delay its implementation or even prevent the transaction from taking place. “
Of course, it is unlikely – Seagate would not have gone on with the acquisition if its lawyers expected problems with this size.
Seagate will be able to increase Hamr Drive production after the acquisition, but the move could inhibit Western Digital and Toshiba’s efforts at this department as it would mean buying the sputtering tools they need from Seagate, a great rival.
