ASML starts megacampus in Eindhoven for 20,000 employees

ASML has started one of its largest expansions in the Netherlands. The chip machine maker is building a huge new campus near Eindhoven where eventually there should be space for about 20,000 workplaces.

The project is important for the future of the Dutch chip industry and follows billions invested by the government to grow ASML in its own country.

The new location will be at Brainport Industries Campus (BIC) North near Eindhoven. The site will eventually cover approximately 350,000 square meters and will become ASML's second major industrial campus in the Brainport region.

Construction takes place in phases. After the first phase, the campus must accommodate at least 3,000 employees by 2029. Ultimately, the capacity will increase to around 20,000 workstations.

That's a huge expansion. ASML currently has tens of thousands of employees in the Netherlands. If the new campus is fully utilized, the company's Dutch workforce could almost double.

The start of construction was celebrated on Tuesday with a ceremony on the site. Prime Minister Rob Jetten, his predecessor Dick Schoof and Eindhoven Mayor Jeroen Dijsselbloem were among those present.

ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet also spoke at the meeting. According to him, the fast-growing chip market is forcing the company to continue to invest heavily.

“The growing global demand within the semiconductor industry requires continued investment,” said Fouquet.

Behind the new campus is a bigger story. ASML previously warned that further expansion would not naturally take place in the Netherlands. Problems with infrastructure, personnel, nitrogen and the power grid, among other things, made growth in the region more complicated.

The Dutch government responded in 2024 with Operation Beethoven. Together with the Eindhoven region, approximately 2.5 billion euros were released to improve the business climate for ASML and other chip companies.

Among other things, money went to training and the accessibility of the Brainport region. Two major obstacles to the new campus also had to be resolved.

ASML received a nitrogen permit from the province of North Brabant. This is special, because such permits are difficult to obtain due to the Dutch nitrogen problem. The company had to demonstrate that the expansion is of great public interest and that loss of nature is compensated.

The electricity supply also seems to be arranged. Grid operator TenneT is expanding a high-voltage station at Best for this purpose.

The start of construction is thus one of the most visible results of Operation Beethoven. The goal was clear: to prevent one of the Netherlands' most important technology companies from realising its next major expansion, especially abroad.

An important part of BIC Noord will be a so-called flow factory. There, material flows and work are arranged in such a way that parts can be produced faster and on a larger scale.

This approach is also used in, for example, the automotive industry and aviation. This can become important for ASML. The global demand for advanced chips is growing strongly, partly due to the huge investments in artificial intelligence.

This is also putting pressure on chip machine suppliers. ASML is the only manufacturer worldwide of the most advanced lithography machines that allow chip manufacturers to make their most powerful chips.

The Dutch chip industry is now benefiting from this growth. According to figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics, the sector's turnover doubled between 2019 and 2025.

For ASML, this growth means that more production capacity is needed. Fouquet therefore sees BIC Noord as part of a much larger international expansion.

“BIC North offers the space and flexibility we need to continue to innovate and support our customers around the world,” said the CEO. According to Fouquet, the campus complements ASML's existing office space and production capacity and the project strengthens the company's presence in the Netherlands.