ASML

Dutch semiconductor specialist ASML is expanding its manufacturing capacity for advanced DUV and low NA EUV lithography machines by 30 per cent next year to satisfy a surge in customer orders. The company is shortening assembly lead times, streamlining factory testing protocols, and preparing to break ground on a major new site at Eindhoven's Brainport Industries Campus. While restructuring efforts are underway to cut corporate bureaucracy, rapid business growth is expected to create new opportunities for affected personnel.

Chris Figee will leave KPN later this year to take up a senior role at chip supplier ASMI. He will start with special projects before moving into the Chief Financial Officer position, pending shareholder approval in 2027. Current CFO Paul Verhagen plans to retire in May 2027.

Eindhoven is growing rapidly and becoming increasingly international, yet many residents still live alongside one another. The StadsMakers International programme brings locals and internationals together to design practical initiatives that strengthen neighbourhood connections. On 28 June, participants present their solutions during the StadsMakers Expo at Strijp‑S.

Dutch Foreign Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma has rejected a proposed US bill, the Match Act, which threatens to force the Netherlands into cutting off ASML's chip technology exports and maintenance services to China. Following talks in Washington, Sjoerdsma asserted that export controls must rely on voluntary cooperation rather than American coercion, warning that unilateral mandates threaten Dutch economic sovereignty. While the US pushes for sweeping bans, the Netherlands maintains its stance on reviewing semiconductor sales through targeted, case-by-case assessments to protect global supply chains.

ASML has invited Elon Musk to virtually speak at an internal technology conference about his "Terafab" project, which focuses on manufacturing chips for AI, robotics, and aerospace. However, the invitation has sparked backlash on an internal company channel, with some critical employees threatening to boycott the event over Musk's political views.

The Amsterdam AEX index opened lower on Friday, dragged down by a 3 per cent drop for chip giants ASMI, Besi, and ASML following a tech sell-off in the US and Asia. As global investors shift from tech stocks to traditional sectors ahead of the latest US jobs report, wider European markets remained mixed, while Asian tech shares suffered heavy losses. On the local market, paint maker AkzoNobel and builder Heijmans posted gains, but Air France-KLM shares fell after a downgrade by Barclays, and Heineken investors piled pressure on the brewer to appoint an external CEO.

TSMC, the world's leading semiconductor manufacturer, has confirmed that global appetite for AI chips continues to outstrip production capacity—even as the company pours billions into expanding its manufacturing footprint.

Huawei says it may produce advanced chips without relying on ASML’s EUV machines, despite ongoing export restrictions. The company aims to reach 1.4-nanometre production by 2031, potentially narrowing the gap with global leaders. Details of the approach remain unclear.