ASML will keep pounding on its partners and manufacturers, but everyone stands to benefit, provided they dare to invest and seize the opportunity.
Keep your spirits up, invest heavily, roll up your sleeves and good luck. That, in a nutshell, was the message of Herman Boom, ASML’s head of strategic sourcing and procurement, in his presentation last week at the annual Brainport Industries conference in Eindhoven. I’m being a little unfair to ASML, of course: the company maintains a special division with a few hundred technical specialists ready to support suppliers wherever needed – a form of enlightened self-interest.
The guest of honor, Boom, twisted himself diplomatically into knots when asked to assess the supplier network around Eindhoven. “This isn’t a reproach, but a call to action,” he said, adding, “There are so many suppliers in the region that it’s impossible to define an average.”
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