Fremont, CA, April 29, 1999-Asyst Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ASYT), the leading supplier of Standard Mechanical InterFace (SMIF) isolation and manufacturing automation solutions to the semiconductor industry, today announced the receipt of a multimillion dollar fab upgrade order from Texas Instruments (TI). TI, in conjunction with Asyst, will convert a current semiconductor fab to leading-edge technology to manufacture DSPs with 0.25-micron design rules capable of migrating to 0.18-micron design rules. The Asyst-SMIF system will help TI to continue volume production of devices on 6-inch wafers during the transition to 8-inch wafers.

Asyst's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mihir Parikh noted, "SMIF has been widely adopted by leading-edge foundry customers who have recognized its productivity and cost-of-ownership advantages. While U.S. semiconductor manufacturers have adopted SMIF on a fab-wide basis since the 1980s, the receipt of this order from TI is a milestone for us. We believe that SMIF has now reached a new level of acceptance among the world's leading chipmakers."

Parikh added, "This order represents a significant revenue opportunity for Asyst. SMIF's flexibility to accommodate increasingly stringent manufacturing requirements and advancing process technologies is expected to generate orders from other chipmakers as well. Additionally, we expect orders from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for Asyst-SMIFT tool integration."

The decision by TI to partner with Asyst followed a detailed study that analyzed cost, productivity and return on investment (ROI) benefits. The evaluation also involved customer tours of high-volume foundries equipped with Asyst-SMIF systems.

The order consists of the full range of Asyst-SMIF products including: Asyst SMIF-LPTsT and IndexersT for transferring cassettes into and out of process equipment; SMIF-EnclosuresT or minienvironments for isolating process equipment; SMART-TagsT for wafer lot tracking; and Asyst SMIF-Pods for encapsulating wafer cassettes. The tools are scheduled for delivery during the second half of 1999.

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 loadport, auto ID, environmental control, robotic, and automation software products for 200 mm and 300 mm applications, result in greater fab profitability and productivity.