ASML gets green light for expansion plans in Eindhoven

ASML has gotten the green light to build a new campus on a large piece of land next to Eindhoven Airport. The Eindhoven city council approved the mayor and aldermen’s plan for the expansion on Tuesday, NOS reports.

ASML will get around 50 hectares at its disposal. The company, which currently employs around 23,000 people in the Netherlands, wants to build a campus in Eindhoven with around 20,000 extra jobs.

PvdA, VVD, CDA, and D66 supported the plans after an extensive meeting on the plans last week. GroenLinks-PvdA still had doubts but ultimately voted in favor. OuderenAppèl-Hart voor Eindhoven and Lijst Pim Fortuyn brought it to a majority.

The city council does have some concerns about whether Eindhoven can handle the enormous growth that ASML’s expansion will bring. In addition to the company’s 20,000 extra jobs, suppliers are expected to create another 50,000 jobs. Research by Newcom for Omroep Brabant showed that a third of Eindhoven residents share these concerns, wondering where all these new workers will live in an already tight housing market, among other things. Almost half of the locals support the designated area and are positive about ASML’s expansion plans.

ASML previously said it wanted to contribute financially to the region, promising 2,500 euros per employee per year. That amounts to over 50 million euros per year and will increase to approximately double in the coming years. Alderman Stijn Steenbakkers assured the city council that he is in talks with ASML and the government about supporting the growth in the region. The municipality and ASML will now draw up a kind of contract to further elaborate the procedure and agreements made, he said.

Construction is expected to start in 2026 at the earliest. The company hopes to start accommodating employees at the new location from 2030.