Toshiba and Western Digital announced the opening of the new 3D flash memory fab in Yokkaichi, Mei Prefecture, Japan on July 15, with the construction beginning in September 2014, according to the CTIMES. The fab is set to support the conversion from 2D to 3D NAND memory. In addition, the fab is able to conduct big data processing to analyze over 1.6 billion data points per day using the site-wide integrated production system. As a result, their manufacturing efficiency and the quality of 3D flash memory will likely be significantly improved. Meanwhile, Western Digital also completed the acquisition of SanDisk in May with an aim to jointly expand the new flash memory production capacity.