ASML breaks ground on new manufacturing facilities in major expansion

By Toby Sterling

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands, Sept 8 (Reuters) - ASML, the biggest manufacturer of computer chip-making equipment, on Tuesday began construction of a major new production campus in the Netherlands, as it races to keep up with rising demand from the artificial intelligence boom.

The BIC North project is being built on about 35 hectares of undeveloped land near Eindhoven Airport, roughly 7 km (4 miles) from ASML's headquarters and main manufacturing sites in Veldhoven, underlining the region's importance as a European technology and manufacturing hub.

"The growing global demand from the semiconductor industry requires continuous investments," CEO Christophe Fouquet said in a statement.

The investment will eventually add space for up to 20,000 workers, with a first phase targeting completion by 2029 that will add offices, logistics and a so-called cleanroom space — a controlled environment for specialist equipment manufacturing.

ASML said the design of a new "Flow Factory" will enable it to build and assemble its giant chip-printing tools more quickly and efficiently.

ASML SHARES UP 62% THIS YEAR

ASML has become Europe's most valuable company, with a $660 billion market capitalization after a 62% rise in the value of its shares this year.

Its expansion contrasts with retrenchment in other areas of European manufacturing, with Volkswagen this month announcing a restructuring that will eliminate 50,000 jobs in response to weak demand and intense competition from Chinese competitors.

ASML said in July that nearly all of its capacity to produce EUV lithography tools — essential for the fabrication of advanced processors and memory chips needed for AI — has already been booked through the end of 2027.

Its customers, including TSMC, Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron and Intel, are expanding capacity to meet surging demand for AI computing from companies such as Nvidia, OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Amazon.

The expansion is also a vote of confidence in the Dutch national and local governments, after ASML threatened in 2024 to move new manufacturing abroad if officials failed to meet expansion needs such as issuing building permits, improving roads, and guaranteeing electrical connections.

Prime Minister Rob Jetten and Eindhoven Mayor Jeroen Dijsselbloem were expected to attend the groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday afternoon.

(Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Jan Harvey)