ASML Halts Lego EUV Machine Sales, Exclusive to Employees Only! [Updated]

UPDATE 12/23/2024 11am PT: This article has been updated to correctly state that the ASML employee store exclusively sells its products to its employees, a policy that has been in place for a long time.

Revised Article:

ASML has recently put a stop to orders of a $230 Lego kit replicating its $380 million High-NA EUV machine from individuals who are not ASML employees, as discovered by @jonmasters. This special edition Twinscan EXE:5000 Lego Kit celebrates the world’s pioneering High-NA EUV machine tailored for creating advanced semiconductors, and it has inadvertently been sold to numerous outsiders over recent months.

Despite its steep price, demand for this kit is high, prompting ASML to limit purchases to just one per employee. It seems that the allure of the kit has drawn more buyers than expected, leading to purchases by non-employees. In response, ASML is now strictly enforcing its policy that sales are limited to employees only, and all orders placed by non-employees for the Twinscan EXE:5000 Lego Set have been identified and canceled. Additionally, the product description now includes a note that a valid ASML email is required to buy the Lego set. This restriction also applies to the more affordable Twinscan Lego Set, priced at about $166, which is likewise exclusive to ASML employees.

The Twinscan EXE:500 Lego set is quite sizable, stretching over a foot in width, about two and a half inches deep, and nearly four inches tall. While it’s not as large as some Lego sets that reach adult height, it still consists of 851 genuine Lego pieces. The more affordable Twinscan Lego set is slightly larger, measuring about 14 x 10 x 3.5 inches, but contains only 600 pieces. If you are an ASML employee, either model would provide a delightful afternoon of building, serving as an excellent treat for yourself or a tech-savvy friend.

ASML employees have the additional perk of buying ASML-themed Christmas decorations, such as a set of three holiday ornaments featuring a miniature NXT machine, a cleanroom worker, and an ASML logo, all crafted from hand-made glass. Priced at just $29, these ornaments offer a festive yet affordable way to celebrate the season with a nod to semiconductor manufacturing.

Beyond the Christmas ornaments and limited-edition Lego sets, the ASML Store offers an array of ASML-branded items including shirts, coffee mugs, tumblers, lapel pins, socks, and more, though these too are available solely to ASML employees.