Korte beschrijving/Annotatie

Focus. The ASML Way is a breathtaking trip into the world of technology, industrial innovation, and the battle for economic and military power.

Tekst achterflap

Without ASML, the world would be a different place. Based in the quiet Dutch town of Veldhoven, this offshoot of Philips Electronics designs the gigantic and extremely complex machines that produce increasingly advanced computer chips. It’s Europe’s most valuable tech company: ninety percent of the world’s chips are manufactured using ASML machines, powering our phones, cars, and the ai revolution.

For years, ASML operated in the background, but a geopolitical earthquake has put it in the middle of a tech war. The United States, China and Europe all want to have the most powerful chips at their disposal. And for that, every superpower has their eyes on ASML. Focus. The ASML Way is a breathtaking trip into the world of technology, industrial innovation, and the battle for economic and military power.

While ASML’s masterminds are aiming for atoms, Marc Hijink roams the cleanrooms and the boardrooms all over the world. He takes us behind the scenes in the White House, The Hague, Taiwan and China, watching the building blocks of these machines grow beyond science fiction, digging into the DNA of hightech design, and analyzing the mindset of ASML’s workforce and its laser focused leadership. And, finally, he sheds a new light on the ongoing geopolitical diplomatic struggle over this unique company.

‘A delicious, flowing story.’ – de Volkskrant

Beschrijving

Without ASML, the world would be a different place. Based in the quiet Dutch town of Veldhoven, this offshoot of Philips Electronics designs the gigantic and extremely complex machines that produce increasingly advanced computer chips. It’s Europe’s most valuable tech company: ninety percent of the world’s chips are manufactured using ASML machines, powering our phones, cars, and the ai revolution.

For years, ASML operated in the background, but a geopolitical earthquake has put it in the middle of a tech war. The United States, China and Europe all want to have the most powerful chips at their disposal. And for that, every superpower has their eyes on ASML. Focus. The ASML Way is a breathtaking trip into the world of technology, industrial innovation, and the battle for economic and military power.

While ASML’s masterminds are aiming for atoms, Marc Hijink roams the cleanrooms and the boardrooms all over the world. He takes us behind the scenes in the White House, The Hague, Taiwan and China, watching the building blocks of these machines grow beyond science fiction, digging into the DNA of hightech design, and analyzing the mindset of ASML’s workforce and its laser focused leadership. And, finally, he sheds a new light on the ongoing geopolitical diplomatic struggle over this unique company.

‘A delicious, flowing story.’ – de Volkskrant

Slogan/Promotie

‘A fabulous look at the world's most indispensable machines and the most vital company you've never heard of.’ - Ben Cohen, Wall Street Journal

‘Marc Hijink provides an unparalleled analysis of ASML’s extraordinary rise.’ – Chris Miller, author of Chip War.

‘The tech cold war most complicated machine’ – The New York Times

‘The most obscure company in the world’ – BBC

‘A wonderfully engaging story about the intrigues and acquisitions that turned ASML into a global monopolist. A subject as dizzying as it is important, which Hijink manages to make accessible thanks to his years of reporting on ASML.’ – de Volkskrant

‘Hijink has written a wonderful portrait full of intriguing angles about a company that is more than worthy of such an approach.’ – Innovation origins

‘An award-deserving, wonderfully written page-turner about the fascinating biography of ASML. A must-read for anyone, and especially for computer scientists and engineers, managers and entrepreneurs, and politicians and R&D funders.’ – Maria Keet, associate professor Computer Science, University of Cape Town

‘A detailed insider account of the world’s biggest system integrator on steroids who has the relentlessness and mettle to push the laws of physics to new frontiers. An enlightening read for anyone interested in understanding the technological, economic, and political forces shaping the future of semiconductors and their ubiquitous presence in our daily lives.’ – The Geostrata

‘It’s rare to find a great book about the history of a European tech company. That privilege is normally reserved to the companies born on the other side of the Atlantic. Focus is that book. A deep dive into a company most people don’t know, but whose work touches every part of modern life.’ – Henrique Cruz, Betaglyph

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