ASML moves to flexible, 24/7 manufacturing
Peter Clarke
EE Times
(02/21/2006 6:30 AM EST)
LONDON — ASML Holding NV has introduced a flexible working model for employees to help it cope with semiconductor market cycles. The company said it has introduced a 24 hour, seven-day production capability along with a three-year “time bank”.
As of February 2006, employees can store unused hours in a time bank during market downturns and then work their saved hours in upturns over a three-year cycle, ASML (Veldhoven, The Netherlands) said. ASML said the labor scheme would help ASML retain trained staff and shorten lead times for the production of equipment.
“Thanks to cooperation among ASML’s Dutch works council, employees, local unions and management, we now have the capability for 24/7 manufacturing in place,” said Henk Scheepers, director and senior vice president of supply chain management at ASML, in a statement. “We will combine our new flexible labor model with our sourcing strategy. It will strengthen how we work with our suppliers, making ASML even more competitive. We can ramp up production faster, or when market cycles change, we can slow it down quicker.”
ASML currently employs approximately 700 persons in manufacturing related positions based in Veldhoven and expects to hire at least an additional 150 persons in manufacturing during 2006.
“Producing our systems takes highly skilled employees. We will further train them and broaden their skills. It ensures the right competencies across work shifts. We also want to be able to keep our people even during downturns,” said Theo Bartraij, senior vice president of manufacturing at ASML.
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