Seagate and WD reap benefits as HDD distribution sales boom
UK leads Western Europe sales increases as supply chain approaches normality and prices continue to drop
Sales of internal hard drives through distribution grew across Western Europe, with HDDs booming in the UK as supply disruptions all but vanish.
Internal HDD sales grew 36 percent during the first four months of 2012 according to distribution analysts Context, with sales mainly driven by Seagate and Western Digital, though has Toshiba also been reaping the benefits of setting low HDD prices.
In the UK the HDD market grew by 78 percent, with 1TB drives increasing by 52 percent compared to an average of 31 percent throughout the rest of Western Europe.
The supply chain was thrown into chaos last year following the Thai floods, but the Western Europe region has the situation approach normality with sales increases.
Western Digitial, one of the worst affected by flooding, tripled 1TB sales during the first four months of the year, for example.
The reason for this partly lay in 25 percent reduction, alongside greater demand returning for large capacity drives, as WD managed to increase overall sales by an average of 14 percent per month.
The figure was similar for Seagate, and the two firms account for 44 percent of the market.
Although average selling prices in April were still up year on year, prices are heading downwards after a high back in November, when distie warned TechEye of rocketing prices.