Erwin Hofste is director Vacuum Technologies for the Dutch company Magnetic Innovations B.V. He has a degree in mechanical engineering with 25 years of experience in product and process design for high end actuators especially used in systems for semiconductor manufacturing.

He was involved in the product and process design of electromagnetic actuators for vacuum applications since the early days when vacuum technology started to be used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, like for example the NXE platform. Erwin now leads the development for a standardized range of actuators suitable for high- and ultra-high vacuum.