Western Digital undecided on sale of PJ facility

PETALING JAYA (July 20): Western Digital, which is shutting its facility at the Sungei Way Free Trade Industrial Zone down by the end of next year, said it has not decided if it will ell the 11-acre property.

When contacted, a Western Digital spokesperson said: “We have not yet made a final decision on the future of the [Petaling Jaya] facility.”

News that the local landmark was shuttering after over 20 years in operations due to declining HDD sales took residents of the Selangor district by surprise.

EdgeProp.my had earlier this week reported that the company is understood to be planning to sell the property, seeking somewhere between RM160 million and RM190 million for the asset which offers 1 million sq ft of built-up area.

Rough calculations indicate that the asking price of the property is about approximately RM334 to RM397 psf, which is relatively higher than the neighbouring 4.84-acre of land acquired by Sunway Bhd in the first quarter of 2016.

According to a Bursa Malaysia filing, Sunway paid RM35.82 million or RM169.95 psf to Tamura Electronics (M) Sdn Bhd to acquire the freehold land which previously contained an industrial factory and warehouse.

“The [land] is situated in the Sungei Way Free [Trade] Industrial Zone, strategically located within the prime area of Petaling Jaya, Sunway Resort City and Subang Jaya, which are affluent and mature neighborhoods,” it said.

Before the acquisition of this 4.84-acre of land, Sunway bought over five parcels of land totaling 17 acres, which are situated next to the Western Digital factory site for a combined RM286 million or RM386 psf in May 2015 to develop the RM2 billion-Sunway Serene.