Dutch chip industry turnover doubles to €46bn in six years

The Dutch semiconductor industry has seen a remarkable surge in turnover, reaching €46 billion in 2025, according to the CBS's latest report. This represents a more than doubling of the sector's turnover over six years, with the industry growing at an average of 14% each year since 2019. The national turnover was €21 billion in 2019, according to the CBS. Employment in the sector has nearly doubled, increasing from 23,000 to over 43,000 people during the same period.

The figures are provisional estimates from a new method developed by CBS, which combines its own data with government figures. The estimates cover more than 300 companies, including chipmakers, machine builders, and firms providing parts and services to the sector. ASML, a Veldhoven-based company specializing in advanced chip machines, is the largest company in the Netherlands by market value. It reported record worldwide sales of €32.7 billion in 2025 and employs around 20,000 people in the country.

Newer companies are also contributing to the growth, with companies entering the sector since 2019 accounting for about €400 million in growth. The industry's expansion is closely linked to the boom in AI, globalisation, and security sectors. Marjolijn Jaarsma, CBS's international trade spokesperson, noted that AI is highly dependent on chips, making the semiconductor industry the technical backbone of advancements in AI.

Dennis Cremers, the project lead behind the research, highlighted the industry's global nature, pointing out that the newest AI chips are designed in the United States, manufactured in East Asia, and ultimately used in data centers for AI model training. The Netherlands plays a unique role in this global network, particularly in machine-building.