A possible interruption in supply could worsen the effects of the global chip shortage.
ASML on Monday said there has been a fire at a factory it owns in Berlin, Germany, according to a report by Reuters.
The Eindoven, the Netherlands based company was quick to confirm that no one was injured. They also stated that it is too early to assess the impact of the fire on ASML’s operations. ASML is a key equipment supplier to all major computer chip manufacturers. They are currently operating at full capacity due to the global semiconductor shortage. This means that any shipment delays would impact customers who are trying to expand capacity.
The factory, the former Berliner Glas, makes components for ASML’s lithography systems, large machines which are used to create the circuitry of computer chips. Berliner Glas makes equipment including “wafer tables, reticle chucks and mirror blocks,” ASML said in a statement.
“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.
ASML acquired Berliner Glas, one of its former suppliers, in 2020 for an undisclosed sum. The company had sales of 230 million euros ($261 million).
Shares in ASML, which had been trading higher before the fire, dropped 0.3% on the news as of Monday afternoon.