Christophe Fouquet says the continent’s champions could move elsewhere if they are not better protected

https://archive.is/n3VNc

  • Christophe Fouquet says the continent’s champions could move elsewhere if they are not better protected
  • stoy@lemmy.zipEnglish
    22·
    3 days ago

    Ballograf, a Swedish ballpoint pen manufacturer, tried to move their production line abroad, they moved their factory tools and everything to their new facility, but the pens that was made didn’t meet the standard they wanted, so the brought the production back home to Sweden.

    The Ballograf Epoca is still very popular and made in Sweden even after 50+ years.

    What I mean by this is that moving a company is difficult, in the example above I am talking about a company making ballpoint pens, imagine how much trouble moving the company making the machines making computer chips would be.

    I absolutely think the EU should help the company, it is a highly strategic and valuable resource we have, other nations will do the same with their important industries, we should as well.

    • Alekzzand3r@lemm.eeEnglish
      5·
      3 days ago

      It seems that making a smooth and frictionless ball point pen is one of the most challenging problems in mechanical engineering. I understand why there was a high chance that moving the production overseas didn’t meet quality standards. It reminds me of this video: https://youtu.be/nKURE05_RPI where he explains what it the took chinese gov to come up with a working product.

  • Brotherinsatan@lemm.eeEnglish
    9·
    3 days ago

    Oh trying to extort money again? They already threatened to go away a few years ago and the Dutch government folded like the losers they are and promised money (invested in infrastructure). And now they want to leave again? Yo jackass I can see ASML building No 1 from my bedroom would be a shame if something would happen to it.

  • c1a5s1c@feddit.orgEnglish
    4·
    3 days ago

    yeah, goodluck writing positive figures after the absolute logistical clusterfuck and financial burden of relocating your assembly, fab, equipment and most importantly talent (that sure as fucking balls won’t want to leave the Netherland for the middle of nowhere, better treating, timbuktu). its a public company. they still report to shareholders, and these shareholders won’t be happy.

    what a ludicrous statement by ASML. whenever I hear their CEO utter this nonsense, it makes me think… fouquet (pronounced “fuck it” for you Anglo Saxons out there).

    • misk@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      9·
      3 days ago

      ASML would be tricky to nationalise or take private since it’s a joint venture with significant investment from the Americans. A lot of money was poured from different places to pioneer EUV lithography which was considered a moonshot at the time. There is a lot of cross licensing to consider too:

      In 1997, ASML began studying a shift to using extreme ultraviolet and in 1999 joined a consortium, including Intel and two other U.S. chipmakers, in order to exploit fundamental research conducted by the US Department of Energy. Because the CRADA it operates under is funded by the US taxpayer, licensing must be approved by Congress. It collaborated with the Belgian IMEC and Sematech and turned to Carl Zeiss in Germany for its need of mirrors.[25]

      In 2000, ASML acquired the Silicon Valley Group (SVG),[26] a US lithography equipment manufacturer also licensed for EUV research results, in a bid to supply 193 nm scanners to Intel Corp.[27][28]

      ASML can only work if everyone plays nice. Bold assumption these days heh.