A silent giant from the Netherlands
In 1984, in a small town in the Netherlands, a company began with a bold mission: to change the world of computer chips forever. That company, ASML, grew into an indispensable link in the technology that powers your smartphone, laptop and even self-driving car.
With 42,400 employees and a market capitalization of €264 billion (November 2024), ASML is a giant that no one sees, but everyone feels. Without their machines, NVIDIA, Intel and Apple could not make advanced chips. This is the story of a company that makes the digital world possible, one nanometer at a time.
The key to smaller, faster chips
ASML does not make chips, but the machines that make them possible. Their photolithography machines shine light through a kind of blueprint and etch patterns on silicon discs smaller than a human hair. Imagine a laser that draws dots so precise you could print a city on a postage stamp.
Their crown jewel? Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) machines. These behemoths, the size of a bus and with a €400 million price tag, enable chips with 2 nanometer transistors - essential for AI, 5G and quantum computing. ASML has 100% market share in EUV, a monopoly no one can match (YourStory, 2025).
A struggle for survival
In the 1990s, ASML's future hung by a thread. The young company struggled with high costs and fierce competition from Japanese giants such as Nikon and Canon. By 1990, ASML was suffering losses and threatened bankruptcy. Philips, co-founder, considered pulling the plug. But a group of engineers and visionary leaders refused to give up. They convinced Philips to invest and struck deals with chipmakers such as TSMC. Through sheer determination and technical innovation, ASML climbed out of the doldrums. This crisis forged their focus on precision, which would later make them world leaders.
A global web of innovation
ASML's success comes not just from machines, but from collaboration. In Veldhoven, 42,400 people work with partners such as Zeiss (for mirrors as smooth as a mirror lake) and TSMC, Samsung and Intel. Their EUV machines, with 20,000 parts from 30 countries, are an engineering marvel.
In 2025, the world runs on ASML. In Belgium, imec is accelerating chip design with ASML's technology. In Sweden, Ericsson is using ASML chips for faster 5G networks. And in the U.S., Intel is building new factories running on ASML's High-NA EUV machines, which make chips even smaller. ASML expects €30-35 billion in sales by 2025, driven by AI demand (ASML, 2025).
The backbone of the digital world
ASML's machines are everywhere. They make the chips in your phone, the AI that recommends your favorite series, and the systems that help doctors detect cancer. Without ASML, there would be no smart cars, no satellites, no modern hospitals.
Countries vie for ASML's technology. South Korea and Taiwan are building chip factories around ASML's machines to remain world leaders. Even India is investing in ASML technology to boost its tech sector. Just as electricity powered the 20th century, ASML is the silent force behind the 21st.
Power and responsibility
With so much influence comes criticism. ASML's machines use huge amounts of energy, raising concerns about sustainability. The company is investing in more efficient systems, but critics want faster results.
Geopolitics is a bigger stumbling block. The US and the Netherlands restrict ASML's exports to China, which still accounted for 20% of their sales in 2024 (Euronews, 2024). This is fueling tensions in the global chip race as Chinese companies such as SiCarrier try to copy ASML's technology - so far without success (Nikkei Asia, 2025).
Still, ASML remains optimistic. CEO Christophe Fouquet predicts growth to €44-60 billion in sales by 2030, with margins of 56-60% (ASML, 2025).
What ASML teaches us
ASML began as a joint venture between Philips and ASM International, with a dream of making chips smaller and more powerful. Today it is a global leader enabling technology we use every day.
The next time you open an app think: a machine from Veldhoven made it possible. ASML proves that with precision, collaboration and vision, you don't just build a company, you change the world.
