Fremont, CA, February 10, 1999 - Asyst Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ASYT), the leading supplier of manufacturing automation and Standard Mechanical InterFace (SMIF) isolation solutions to the semiconductor industry, today announced it has completed compliance evaluations of all its standard products in accordance with the SEMATECH Year 2000 Test Scenarios version 2.01. In addition, Asyst's Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure, including a product compliance level matrix, is downloadable from its web site.

Asyst President and Chief Operating Officer Terry Moshier commented, ìWe are pleased to reach this point in our Y2K compliance cycle. Completing evaluations of our products and being able to provide our customers with a comprehensive compliance status at this time is testament to Asystís strong commitment toward world class customer satisfaction and support." Moshier added, ìAs part of this commitment, we are proactively communicating with our customers, helping to assure them that their Asyst and Asyst-configured systems will continue to provide the highly reliable, cost-effective service they are accustomed to well beyond the new millennium.

Asyst defines its products to be Year 2000 compliant if they can: correctly handle date input and output before, during and after January 1, 2000; function according to all prior Asyst specifications before, during and after January 1, 2000; respond to two-digit date input in a disclosed and defined manner where appropriate or as per specification; store and provide output of all dates in a disclosed and unambiguous manner; and handle two-digit year in SEMI Equipment Communication Standards (SECS) message as specified in SEMI E5-0698.

Asyst's Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure is designed to provide information on the status of the company's Year 2000 compliance activities to all interested parties. The disclosure is not intended to and may not be interpreted to create any contracts with any parties, or serve as a certification, warranty or guarantee, express or implied, regarding Year 2000 compliance.

Except for statements of historical fact, the statements in this press release are forward-looking. Such statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, semiconductor industry cycles, risks associated with the acceptance of new products and product capabilities, and other factors more fully detailed in the Company's most recent Forms 10-K and 10-Q, and annual report to shareholders.

About Asyst:
The pioneer of the Standard Mechanical InterFace (SMIF), Asyst Technologies, Inc. is the leading provider of automated material handling systems and software critical to seamless factory automation in the most advanced fabs worldwide. Asyst's comprehensive solutions, which include industry-leading 200 mm and 300 mm product offerings, result in greater fab profitability and productivity. Hine Design Incorporated, a wholly owned subsidiary, designs and manufactures precision substrate handling equipment for vacuum, atmospheric and corrosive environments.