Update on the fire at ASML – key semiconductor chip player

I posted on the fire here a week ago:

• “At this point it is too early to make any statement on the damage or whether the incident will have any impact on the output plan for this year,” ASML said, adding that it would take several days to assess the damage and it would update markets as soon as it can.

Reuters have posted an update on damage assessment which has some good, and som not-so-good news:

• In a statement, ASML said that the Jan. 3 fire would not affect output or revenues for its DUV lithography systems.
• For EUV machines, which are used to map out the circuitry of the world’s most advanced computer chips, “the fire affected part of the production area of the wafer clamp” — one module within the massive machines, which cost around $150 million apiece.

• “We are still in the process of completing the recovery plan for this production area and determining how to minimise any potential impact for our EUV customers, both in our output plan and in our field service,” the company said.

Something to bear in mind is that even if everything with this is just fine and EUV machines are unaffected the huge backlog in order for chips will ensure shortages persist for many months to come.