THERE has been disappointment in the northwest following the decision by the US computer component manufacturer Seagate to locate its new disc drive manufacturing plant at Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, rather than close to its existing plants in Derry and Limavady.

Remarks by Seagate's executive vicepresident, Mr Brendan Hegarty earlier this year had raised hopes that the plant would be built in the northwest. In February, Mr Hegarty said Seagate was considering sites in seven European countries, and three possible locations in the North.

However, Seagate's plan for a further major expansion at its Springtown plant, where it has already invested £175 million, should still go ahead, adding 300 employees to the 800 people already employed there.

Meanwhile, Seagate's new $100 million disc manufacturing facility in Limavady is due to go into production within the next two months.

The plant will employ around 750 people when fully operational, producing the nickelplated aluminium disc substrates, using the most advanced technology.

The plant will have the capacity to produce more than 50 million disc substrates a year. This is the core material on which computer drives read, write, and store in formation.