ASML
abbreviation

- Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography — a Dutch company that is the world’s leading manufacturer of photolithography machines used in semiconductor production

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ORIGIN

Originally, the company was a joint venture between Philips and ASM International, founded in 1984 in Veldhoven, Netherlands. Over time, ASML grew into the world’s leading supplier of photolithography machines used in semiconductor manufacturing.

Today, ASML is the only company in the world capable of producing Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, which are essential for manufacturing the most advanced computer chips giving it a monopoly in high-end chipmaking technology.

Almost every high-performance processor (used in AI, smartphones, and supercomputers) is indirectly reliant on ASML’s machines. Because of its dominance in cutting-edge chipmaking, ASML is at the center of geopolitical tensions, with export restrictions preventing sales to China.

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DUTCH DOMINANCE

The Netherlands has maintained an uncanny ability to punch above its weight throughout history. In the 17th century, this small nation of merchants and sailors dominated global shipping and trade during its Golden Age. With a population of just 2 million people, the Dutch East India Company (VOC “Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie”) became the world's first multinational corporation, commanding nearly 5,000 ships and employing 70,000 people at its peak. The VOC's market capitalization would have been worth $8.2 trillion in today's money—larger than Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon combined!

Fast forward to the present, and we find ASML holding a similar position of extraordinary dominance. This Dutch company produces the advanced lithography machines essential for manufacturing semiconductor chips, controlling over 90% of the global market. Without ASML's extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, the world's most advanced chips simply cannot be made. When global powers compete for technological supremacy, they all depend on machines made in Veldhoven, a small Dutch town.

What explains this recurring pattern of Dutch excellence in such different eras?

The Netherlands' geographical position at the crossroads of European trade routes fostered an outward-looking mentality. The constant battle against the sea bred pragmatism and innovation. The Dutch have long embraced what they call "koopmanschap" (merchantship)—prioritizing commercial relationships and practical solutions over ideological positions.

Their culture values "polderen," a consensus-building approach developed from the necessity of cooperating to maintain water management systems. This collaborative mindset merges scientific knowledge, technical expertise, and business acumen.

Most importantly, being a small country surrounded by larger powers taught the Dutch to specialize in high-value niches and to maintain neutrality while building international networks.

From ships to semiconductors, the Dutch have mastered the art of staying ahead by thinking ahead. Whatever the era, they don’t just follow the game—they brazenly break the rules.

Helga & Paul Smith

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“Without the Dutch company ASML, the global production of semi-conductors would collapse.”

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THANKS to Robin for inspiring today’s OWAD.

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