SMIC officially announced that it will spend $1.2 billion to buy lithography machines

On the evening of March 3, SMIC issued an announcement stating that the company had signed a purchase agreement with ASML. According to the pricing of ASML products purchased under the ASML purchase order, the total cost of the ASML purchase order was US$1.2 billion (approximately RMB 7.8 billion).

The announcement disclosed that on February 1, 2021, SMIC and ASML Shanghai signed a revised and restated ASML Bulk Purchase Agreement. Accordingly, the term of the ASML Bulk Purchase Agreement was extended from the original January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020 to January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021.

ASML is the world's most important lithography machine manufacturer. SMIC did not disclose the specific content of the signed agreement, but the total value of US$1.2 billion is not low. The most expensive EUV lithography machine is only US$120 million, so the supply quantity signed this time is almost more than 10 units.

According to a report from the Securities Times, the reporter learned from senior industry insiders that, except for EUV lithography machines, SMIC can buy almost all other types of lithography machines, including DUV (deep ultraviolet) lithography machines.

Previously, ASML's CFO said in a video interview at the earnings conference: If the overall significance of the relevant rules to AMSL is broadly understood, ASML will be able to provide DUV lithography systems to Chinese customers (including SMIC) from the Netherlands without an export license. However, if it involves parts or systems shipped directly from the United States to such customers, ASML will need to apply for an export license for this.