Focus: The ASML Way

Without ASML, the world would be a different place. Based in the quiet Dutch town of Veldhoven, this offshoot of Philips Electronics designs the gigantic and extremely complex machines that produce increasingly advanced computer chips. It’s Europe’s most valuable tech company: ninety percent of the world’s chips are manufactured using ASML machines, powering our phones, cars, and the ai revolution.

For years, ASML operated in the background, but a geopolitical earthquake has put it in the middle of a tech war. The United States, China and Europe all want to have the most powerful chips at their disposal. And for that, every superpower has their eyes on ASML. Focus. The ASML Way is a breathtaking trip into the world of technology, industrial innovation, and the battle for economic and military power.

While ASML’s masterminds are aiming for atoms, Marc Hijink roams the cleanrooms and the boardrooms all over the world. He takes us behind the scenes in the White House, The Hague, Taiwan and China, watching the building blocks of these machines grow beyond science fiction, digging into the DNA of hightech design, and analyzing the mindset of ASML’s workforce and its laser focused leadership. And, finally, he sheds a new light on the ongoing geopolitical diplomatic struggle over this unique company.

‘A delicious, flowing story.’ – de Volkskrant

MARC HIJINK (1969), financial reporter and columnist for the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad, has covered ASML for over more than a decade. Building upon this experience he got the unique opportunity to take a two year long deep dive into the company’s operations and get to know the ASML culture from the inside.