ASML Founder Wim Troost Passes Away

TapTechNews on June 12th reported that the lithography machine giant ASML Company posted on social media on June 11th to mourn the passing of one of ASML's founders, Wim Troost. According to the Eindhovens Dagblad, Wim passed away on Friday morning (June 8th) at the age of 98.

ASML stated, 'Wim Troost has passed away. Wim was one of our founding elders and also the CEO from 1987 to 1990, when ASML was striving for its first customer. After retirement, Wim has always been a true ambassador for ASML and the high-tech industry. He inspired generations of successors. We thank Wim for his contribution to ASML's DNA and strong corporate culture, his leadership, perseverance, and vision. Our condolences go out to Wim's family.'

Troost was a developer of Philips' wafer stepper and the only person who expressed an interest in lithography machines at the Philips management team meeting. In 1984, Philips and ASM established the joint venture ASML. In 1987, when the then-teetering ASML was without a leader, Troost, who had just retired from Philips two years ago, decided to take on the role of ASML CEO and led ASML through the 1988 crisis until he retired again in 1990.

TapTechNews noted that Troost said in an interview with the NRC in 2022 that he comes from a long-lived family: his sister lived to be 93 years old, and his father lived to be 96 years old.

In the best-selling technology book 'Lithography Giants: The Rise of ASML', there is a passage that showcases Troost's greatness: 'Wim Troost rescued the wafer stepper from the scrap heap. In the decades after World War II, if there was anyone who was a representative figure for Philips, it was him.'