Koopdrift ASML is now also having to deal with the sports hall and playground

The year is still young, but ASML has already purchased a trampoline park, sports hall, playground, tennis courts and an event hall. These are places where Veldhoven residents go for a children’s party, to play sports or to visit an event. “Now it’s getting really close. First it was business premises. Now it is facilities and residential homes.”

These are exactly the things that the Veldhoven resident is concerned about, according to the group chairman. “We often talk about the tightness in the housing market. About the people who cannot find a home. About maintaining the level of facilities. If ASML then expands and buys up facilities and homes and then builds business premises there, it will affect the residents of Veldhoven. It’s really getting through to people now.”

Mandos was born and raised in Veldhoven. He certainly also sees the successes of ASML and the advantages of the company. “I don’t have an anti-ASML story. I think they can grow, as long as it is balanced.” According to him, that balance may already be lost. According to Mandos, politicians must consider the ‘dark sides’ of growth. Because ASML’s growth raises questions. “The question in Veldhoven is whether ASML has become too big. The purchases also raise many questions. Whether we as a municipality are still in control.”

On Wednesday it was announced that the company made almost 8 billion euros in profit last year, while that was still around 5.5 billion in 2022. The company wants to grow further. ASML CEO Peter Wennink indicated that he may want to expand abroad if the number of migrant workers here is limited.

Party chairman Mandos was on the edge of his seat. “It makes it clear that Wennink and ASML have a clear vision for the future. They want to grow here and, if that is not possible, somewhere else. That makes it even more important for a local government to have a vision about how you see this in Veldhoven.”

The buying urge of ASML in Veldhoven is great. Last year the company purchased 38 properties in the municipality, including a whole row of thirteen residential houses. This year, the urge to expand led to the purchase of the halls on an area the size of five football fields.

“People wonder whether the municipality still has control. Or we decide what is or is not possible. Or that ASML carries out its plans and we respond accordingly. We have to have that discussion in politics.”

Veldhoven has almost 47,000 inhabitants. The village changes because of the purchases. Places where residents walked their dogs will soon no longer be freely accessible. With the latest purchase from ASML, Padel association The Padellers will also disappear. The club is disappointed that no other suitable location has been found in Veldhoven and is therefore continuing in Valkenswaard.

The local politics of Veldhoven decide on a global player like ASML. “The stakes are high. It is quite remarkable that we, as a medium-sized municipality, determine how large ASML can become. ASML is located here, we can be proud of that, but local interests must not be overlooked. Veldhoven must not become a victim.”

The municipality should think carefully about a vision for Veldhoven, Mandos believes. That is why he submitted a request to the mayor and aldermen. Striking, because Mandos is himself leader of a party that governs in Veldhoven.

“There must be an economic vision. About the growth of ASML and about the well-being of the residents. The municipality has no vision, which is why we react afterwards to ASML’s plans instead of being in the driver’s seat ourselves. Perhaps we should have should have had that discussion earlier, but now you see that it is really starting to hurt.”

In this explanation video you can see everything about ASML’s growth plans: