Netherlands-based ASML Holding NV, a leading global supplier of semiconductor production equipment, has received the green light to invest more than NT$10 billion (US$314 million) in Taiwan to set up a plant in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口).

The Investment Commission has approved an application by ASML to infuse about NT$5.65 billion and 140 million euros (US$152 million), which is in excess of NT$10 billion in total, into ASML Taiwan Ltd (台灣艾司摩爾), a subsidiary that specializes in wafer measuring equipment and provides its clients with technological support and training, it said in a statement.

Commission spokesperson Su Chi-yen (蘇琪彥), said the Dutch-based company filed an application with the authorities for approval of the investment plan it announced late last year to build a plant in Linkou.

Photo: Reuters

In November last year, when the investment plan was announced, ASML said it would invest globally and in Taiwan to prepare for the company’s continued growth, while supporting global customers and the development of the semiconductor industry.

ASML is the world’s sole supplier of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography photolithography machines used by semiconductor manufacturers to produce chips.

Currently, ASML has 60 operations hubs in 16 countries worldwide, with Taiwan being its largest hub in Asia. In Taiwan, ASML has four client support centers, two R&D centers and two training centers, and is believed to provide EUV machines to the world’s largest contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電).

In addition to ASML, the commission said it approved a plan submitted by Netherlands-based Yahoo Holdings BV to inject about NT$3.6 billion into Yahoo! Digital Marketing Ltd (雅虎數位行銷), which provides electronic information services and advertising services in Taiwan.

Meanwhile, CTBC Bank Co (中信銀行) was approved to remit US$37.05 million to CTBC Bank (Philippines) Corp as a loan to conduct banking business in the Southeast Asian country, and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) secured approval to invest US$329 million in Foxconn Singapore Pte Ltd for the company’s investments in India and Vietnam, the commission said.