Chip machinery maker ASML steps up R&D expenditure

Chip machinery maker ASML is stepping up its annual research and development expenditure after the striking success of its new EUV chip machines, the Veldhoven-based company told the Financieele Dagblad on Thursday.

Development of the ‘extreme ultraviolet lithography’ machines took several years and cost millions of euros but the company has delivered three EUV machines in the past three months, bringing total sales to six for the year.  In addition, it has orders for 23 more advanced EUV machines which sell for €100m each.

ASML plans to invest €1.5bn on R&D this year and this is expected to increase in the future, CFO Wolfgang Nickl told the paper. ASML is working on further development of EUV technology whereby chips will be printed by an ultraviolet beam.

ASML booked revenues of €557m in the third quarter of 2017, well up on €397m in the year-earlier period. Turnover rose to €2.45 bn (€2.21bn). The order book for 2018 stands at €5.7bn. ASML has the largest corporate R&D expenditure in the Netherlands.

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