Fremont, CA - August 30, 1999 - Asyst Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq NM: ASYT), a leading supplier of advanced manufacturing solutions for the semiconductor industry, announced that it has completed its acquisition of Palo Alto Technologies, Inc. (PAT), effective August 27, 1999. The acquisition of PAT, a Mountain View, California-based startup dedicated to the development of advanced transport technology for semiconductor fab transport automation, marks Asyst's entry into wafer transport and further expands the Company's role in the semiconductor fab automation market. PAT is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Asyst.

The acquisition was originally announced on August 19, 1999. Under the terms of the agreement, Asyst acquired all equity in PAT in a security purchase transaction for approximately $4.5 million, plus a future earn-out based on transport automation product revenues in excess of certain defined threshold amounts.

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:
Asyst Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of advanced technologies designed to protect and enhance customers' valued assets throughout all phases of the manufacturing process. The company's comprehensive solutions set includes 200 and 300 mm product families that deliver state-of-the-art isolation, material management, robotics and software needed to ensure seamless factory automation in the most advanced fabs worldwide. Leveraging its value assurance technologies, Asyst offers OEMs the ability to speed time to market and reduce development costs, and chipmakers the ability to achieve greater fab profitability and productivity.