Fremont, CA, October 22, 1996 - Asyst Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASYT), the leading supplier of SMIF-based technology and automation solutions to the worldwide semiconductor industry, today announced it has received a multimillion-dollar follow-on order from one of Japan's top ten integrated circuit (IC) manufacturers for Asyst's SMIF technology. The systems will be used to retrofit an existing manufacturing line producing next-generation Flash memory devices. Installation of the systems will take place in early 1997.

Commenting on the order, Taki Goto, Asyst's director of Japan operations, noted, "The timing of the investment is significant. While many of the top ten Japanese IC manufacturers are putting expenditures on hold, this customer moved ahead to retrofit its manufacturing line with Asyst SMIF technology. This clearly indicates the customer's confidence in Asyst's products."

The order follows on the heels of an order place by the same customer in 1993. The customer once again chose Asyst due to the reliability of its products, as well as the company's strong customer support. The Asyst SMIF isolation technology solution will provide the Japan-based company with a better-than-Class 1 manufacturing environment.

About Asyst
Asyst Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of material control and automation systems that help semiconductor manufacturers improve their integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing productivity. The company's Asyst-SMIF™ System combines state-of-the-art minienvironments with advanced robotics to create ultraclean processing environments that are both comprehensive and flexible. The SMART-Traveler™ System (STS) works in tandem with SMIF to eliminate misprocessing. Both Asyst-SMIF and its companion STS products are integral to seamless factory automation. Asyst's subsidiary, Asyst Automation, Inc., focuses on material handling control software and inter-bay/intra-bay automation systems. The company's newest subsidiary, Asyst Software, Inc., is dedicated to the development of software products for equipment communications and automated material handling, identification and tracking. Founded in 1984, Asyst Technologies, Inc. is headquartered in Fremont, CA, with facilities in Europe and the Far East. Asyst Automation, Inc. is located outside Boston, Mass., with Asyst Software located in San Jose, CA The company's common stock trades on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol ASYT.

About SMIF
SMIF stands for Standard Mechanical InterFace, the material handling approach that enables wafer transfer to and from sealed SMIF environments without exposure to cleanroom ambient conditions. SEMI standards exist for 150 and 200mm wafer sizes and are now being defined for 300mm.