Is 1,700 enough?

ASML is undergoing a painful transformation. The high-tech sprinter must reinvent itself as a marathon runner. Explosive bursts of power must give way to controlled, sustained effort. Preparation, predictability, strategy and organization now matter as much as raw speed. Weight loss, a pacing strategy and hydration plans: these things are unfamiliar to an athlete who, until recently, could rely almost exclusively on engineering muscle.

For years, a new reality in chip technology has been pressing in on the Dutch lithography champion. ASML built its dominance on shrinking the lines etched onto silicon. That race is nearing its limits. The frontier has shifted toward 3D integration, advanced metrology, yield optimization and cost control. To lead in that world requires a different culture, one that fuses innovation with predictability and uncompromising quality.