ASML (ASML.AS) and Eindhoven University of Technology have announced an investment of 180 million euros ($195 million) to support semiconductor research over the next decade.
ASML, a major supplier of equipment for manufacturing computer chips, is evaluating its expansion options and assessing whether the local workforce and infrastructure in the Eindhoven area of the Netherlands are sufficient to support its growth.
ASML’s CFO, Roger Dassen, explained, “This partnership will help meet our industry’s demand for more PhD graduates and provide insights that will benefit both the semiconductor sector and the broader community. We’re making a significant commitment to advancing science and education in the Netherlands.”
The university plans to invest 100 million euros in building and operating a new cleanroom facility for research in plasma physics, mechatronics, optics, and AI. ASML will contribute 80 million euros.
Robert-Jan Smits, the university’s president, noted that this is the university’s largest partnership, which will strengthen Eindhoven’s role as a major center for semiconductor research.
Earlier this year, the Dutch government committed $2.7 billion to enhance infrastructure in Eindhoven, including upgrades to roads, housing, and the electric grid, to encourage ASML to maintain its operations locally.
In April, ASML agreed to expand near Eindhoven’s airport, which could accommodate 20,000 more workers.
As of the end of 2023, ASML employed 42,000 people globally, including 23,000 in the Netherlands. The company expects its annual sales to be between 44 and 60 billion euros by 2030, up from 26.7 billion euros in 2023.
