ASML cleared to build second location in Eindhoven for 20.000 workers
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By Simone Jacobs
Dutch chip machine manufacturer ASML has been given the green light to expand to a second location in Eindhoven. A large new campus will be constructed to accommodate 20.000 new workers.
ASML expansion to create 20.000 jobs in Eindhoven
The Eindhoven city council has voted in favour of letting ASML build a large new campus in the city. With an existing base in the nearby Veldhoven, the new location will be at the Brainport Industries Campus near the Eindhoven Airport and is expected to generate around 20.000 jobs.
Additional jobs numbering in the tens of thousands will likely also be created at ASML’s suppliers in the region, reports NOS. Construction is planned to start after the summer, with the building doors opening to the first workers in 2028.
ASML’s expansion plan first got approval in 2024, but another vote was needed after an amendment to the environmental plan that would allow roads to be rerouted or modified.
Concerns about influx of new residents
Not everyone is on board with the expansion plan. Many parties are concerned that the arrival of 20.000 workers will push up housing prices and wreak havoc on the availability of healthcare and the region’s accessibility.
Despite these concerns, the plan was approved. "We assume the municipality will continue or engage in constructive consultations with all stakeholders. Due to the significant economic interests, we are voting in favour, but we will continue to monitor developments," said Ceciel van Bergeijk (VVD).
As one of the largest companies in Europe that hires many skilled workers in the Netherlands, ASML plays a vital role in the Dutch economy. The tech giant is also one of many companies that have repeatedly spoken out against the government’s plans to reduce skilled migration, even at one point threatening to move operations out of the country if the 30 percent tax ruling was cut.
Even with expansion plans in the works and a very successful year, the Dutch-based company announced plans to scrap 1.700 jobs to streamline its technology and IT divisions and focus on improvements to innovation and engineering. ASML employs nearly 44.000 workers worldwide.
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training.Read more