FOCUS – The ASML Way

‘‘ASML is the most important company you may have never heard of. Marc Hijink provides the inside story of its rise to global dominance, from its humble roots in the Netherlands to its globe-straddling position as the monopoly producer of the machines that make the chips that make artificial intelligence possible.

Marc Hijink provides an unparalleled analysis of ASML’s extraordinary rise.’ Marc Hijink provides an unparalleled analysis of ASML’s extraordinary rise.’ – Chris Miller, author of Chip War

For decades the most valuable technology company in Europe operated in the shadows. The chips manufactured by its machines, power our smartphones and AI assistants, make our coffee and drive our cars and even guide cruise missiles. In fact, roughly 90% of all chips worldwide are made with ASML’s machines. In recent years, the Dutch manufacturing company has found itself in the spotlight, at the centre of a geopolitical storm between the United States, China and Europe. The US lost its edge, and Intel is struggling to keep up with its Asian competitors, thanks to ASML.

This is the intimate story of the people and culture behind a business now caught in a diplomatic struggle for global might.

In Focus – The ASML way, journalist Marc Hijink brings a unique insider portrait of this global giant. Hijink not only details the company’s meteoric rise from a quiet town in the Netherlands to a powerful, global monopoly position, he also makes accessible the unbelievably complex technology that has been the key to ASML’s success. It’s lithography machines, which spit out millions of chips around the clock, work to an accuracy of within a few atoms.