The Unsung Heroes of the Chip World
Now, when people think of chips, they tend to think of the flashy brands, the Intels and Nvidias of the world. But to me, that’s like focusing on the film stars and ignoring the director, the camera crew, and the people who built the studio. The real action, I think, is often with the companies that provide the picks and shovels for this digital gold rush.
Take a firm like ASML. This Dutch company builds the ridiculously complex lithography machines that are the only game in town for printing cutting edge chips. Each one costs a fortune and takes an age to build. If you’re building a new factory, you have to get in their queue. Then you have Lam Research, which makes the specialised kit for etching and layering the wafers. These are not household names, but without them, you simply have a very expensive shed. And let’s not forget Taiwan’s TSM, the undisputed king of chip manufacturing. They are the benchmark everyone else is chasing.