Ten days later, ASML replaced some of its senior executives with people from Wujiang Group, with Academician Qin Guogang serving as ASML's CEO.
However, before Qin Guo took office as CEO of ASML, Zhao Ye specifically called him into his office and gave him a few words of advice.
"Given ASML's current predicament and shortage of funds, it is reasonable to sell a portion of ASML's technology patents to Wujiang Group. After all, ASML would have gone bankrupt very soon without the investment."
“Academician Qin, you are a technician yourself, so you will be in charge of compiling the technologies that Wujiang Microelectronics needs and then selling them to Wujiang Microelectronics.”
Qin Guogang nodded upon hearing this, fully aware of his mission.
Zhao Ye appointed him as ASML's CEO not because he really wanted to develop ASML, but because he wanted to understand ASML's technology.
“Boss, I understand!” Qin Guogang replied.
The following day, Qin Guogang flew to the Netherlands to officially assume the position of CEO of ASML.
After some time, Academician Qin Guogang learned about ASML's technology in detail and exclaimed in amazement: "ASML's technology is even more advanced than I imagined. I thought the PAS2500 lithography machine was already very advanced, but I didn't expect ASML to be developing the PAS3000. Their reserve of technology is very advanced!"
Qin Guogang was overjoyed. If Wujiang Microelectronics could acquire ASML's technology, then the development of the next generation of lithography machines should soon make a breakthrough!
Furthermore, significant progress can be made in production processes and procedures.
...
Of course, if ASML wants to sell its technology, Wujiang Group cannot act unilaterally, after all, there is another major shareholder.
Philips never expected that its recent partnership with Wujiang Group would result in the two companies becoming ASML's sole shareholders.
"President Wells, Wujiang Group has sent a notification that, in order to save ASML from bankruptcy, Wujiang Microelectronics will invest $2 million to purchase some of ASML's technology," the secretary said to Hank Wells. After thinking for a moment, he added, "President Wells, in my opinion, Wujiang's main purpose in doing this is to purchase ASML's technology!"
Hank Wells chuckled, “Yes, your analysis is quite correct. But it doesn’t matter. We’re not interested in ASML anyway. ASML has been losing money since its inception, so as long as Wujiang Group doesn’t ask us to invest more, it’s fine.”
He paused, then added, "Of course, ASML's technology can't be sold at a low price either. Have someone keep an eye out for that."
"Yes, President!" the secretary nodded, her expression showing no regard for the company.
ASML held virtually no position within Philips, which essentially left ASML to its own devices, clearly indicating a lack of confidence in ASML's future development.
In the mid-to-late 1980s, Japanese lithography machines were so dominant that other lithography machines had little room to survive.
Furthermore, the lithography machine market is relatively small, and Philips probably doesn't even have a strong interest in it.
When ASML was first established, it was not well received by Philips, who simply dumped its employees in a temporary prefabricated house next to Philips' headquarters.
It's fair to say that Philips discarded it like trash.
In my previous life, ASML went public in the 1990s, and Philips immediately sold all its shares. After that, ASML and Philips had virtually no connection whatsoever.
Philips considered ASML a failure, but Wujiang Group treated it like a treasure. If it weren't for the fact that Western countries didn't allow Wujiang Group to hold a controlling stake in ASML, Zhao Ye would have already had ASML acquired outright.
There's no other way now but to settle for second best and squeeze every last drop of value out of ASML. For example, three days later, ASML reached an agreement with Wujiang Microelectronics to exchange technology for funding in order to survive...
...
The introduction of ASML technology is of great significance to Wujiang Microelectronics, and the entire company is very excited.
After reviewing the technical data, Academician Huang Kun immediately pledged to Zhao Ye that a new generation of lithography machine would be launched within six months.
At this time, Wujiang Microelectronics was a powerful company. Not only had the "Six Knights of TSMC R&D" joined Wujiang Microelectronics one after another, but more Chinese semiconductor talents also joined Wujiang Microelectronics.
In its previous life, TSMC used its status to recruit a large number of Chinese semiconductor talents.
However, in this life, Wujiang Microelectronics is more legitimate and has a more authentic background than TSMC, and it has even managed to recruit these Chinese semiconductor talents into the company before TSMC.
These talents include those skilled in process engineering, experts in integrating overall logic processes and responsible for improving yield, and those skilled in materials...
In recent times, Wujiang Microelectronics has been developing rapidly, and its progress can only be described as "changing with each passing day".
However, Wujiang Microelectronics still lags behind in the technology of lithography machine lenses.
...
At this moment, Rex Eden has arrived in East Germany and begun preliminary preparations for the Hunter Project.
The Soviet Union's economy was in dire straits, and East Zeiss was naturally in no better shape. As for West Zeiss, it was only slightly better than East Zeiss.
They are about the same.
However, compared to other options, Wujiang Group is more likely to acquire East Zeiss.
Upon arriving in East Germany, Reske Eden's team immediately began a detailed investigation of Zeiss.
Currently, Zeiss's main business is camera lenses and semiconductor lenses; medical lenses only began to be developed in the 1990s.
However, in the 1980s, both camera lenses and semiconductor lenses could not compete with Japanese companies.
Zeiss's inability to compete with Japanese companies was not due to a lack of technological expertise, but rather because Zeiss had long adhered to the tradition of handcrafting lenses. This outdated production method was no longer suitable, resulting in low output and a high risk of errors, which ultimately led to Zeiss's decline.
In its previous life, Zeiss turned a profit by using machines to manufacture lenses instead of by hand.
During this period, if ASML hadn't been continuously providing financial support to Zeiss, Zeiss would have gone bankrupt long ago.
...
Inside the office.
Zhao Ye was carefully reading the investigation report on Zeiss that Rex Eden had sent him.
"According to this survey report, Zeiss can hold on for a while longer."
"Let the bullets fly a little longer."
Zeiss could struggle a little longer, but Rex Eden was an excellent hunter, lying in wait in Germany, ready to pounce on his prey when it showed signs of weakness.
Zhao Ye is also a very patient person; he can wait.
The key to the Hunter program depends on Zeiss itself.
It is said that flies do not land on eggs without cracks.
If Zeiss itself were doing well, how would Wujiang Group have had a chance?
P.S.: I didn't have time to write today, so I only updated two chapters. The word count is a little low, but since you readers are all so kind, I'm sure you can understand. And please, please vote with your monthly tickets!
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