Toshiba to cut off JV partner from new line of chips

San Francisco

TOSHIBA Corp has taken another stab at its US joint venture partner, Western Digital Corp, saying that it has no rights to new chip production that's vital to the future of both companies.

The latest escalation of the fight between the two centres on a new factory called Fab 6. Toshiba said it will build the plant without any participation from its US partner, thereby cutting off Western Digital from chips made with the factory's new technology. Western Digital inherited its stake in the joint venture when it bought SanDisk Corp.