Applied Materials, the world’s largest supplier of tools and equipment for making micro-chips, has made a bid for a large part of Dutch chip machinery maker ASMI, news agency ANP reports on Friday.

Applied Materials has offered up to €320m for two ASMI units. ASMI is currently under pressure from activist shareholders to change course.
The sale of the units would have ‘major repercussions’ for its operations, ASMI said in a statement.