Toshiba partner restarts chip production

LONDON, Mar 12 (Reuters): Toshiba's main facility producing flash memory used in tablets and smartphones has resumed production after the Japanese earthquake and chip prices could rise due to the setback and logistic problems. Shares of memory maker Micron rose 1.41 per cent and SanDisk, which partners with Toshiba to manufacture NAND flash memory, was flat as investors speculated chips prices could rise if global supplies are interrupted. Toshiba's main NAND facility in Yokkaichi, near Tokyo and down the coast from the epicenter of the quake, was not seriously affected by the quake, but briefly shut down production, SanDisk spokesman Mike Wong told Reuters. "There was some loss of wafers, but operations have since resumed. They're currently operating and the overall impact still being assessed," he said. Demand from Apple and other manufacturers for NAND memory, used in mobile gadgets to store songs, photos and other media, is already expected to rise this year.