BANG PA-IN, THAILAND -- Western Digital's facilities here are coming back online faster than expected, with production started at one of its previously flooded sites.

The hard disk drive maker said one of its buildings in Bang Pa-in has begun production a week ahead of schedule. Its Navankorn facility remains flooded, however. Head slider production is expected to recommence in the March quarter, and WDD will also begin slider production in Penang, Malaysia, during the March quarter.

Separately, Seagate lowered its HDD outlook for the March and June 2012 quarters, also as result of the Thailand flooding. The company now expects to produce 130 million and 158 million units in the March and June quarters, respectively. Analysts previously forecast 151 million and 165 million units during the respective periods.