Fremont, CA, January 12, 2000 - Asyst Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq NM: ASYT) today announced that it has received a multi-million dollar order from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), a leading Taiwanese foundry, for a complete Standard Mechanical InterFace (SMIF) system solution. The equipment is intended for TSMC's Fab 6, the first fab to be built at Taiwan's new Tainan Science-Based Park.

Fab 6 is a 200 mm state-of-the-art fab, intended for the manufacture of leading-edge integrated circuits (ICs) and, at 120,000 sq. ft., is one of the largest fabs currently under construction.

Asyst Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mihir Parikh noted, "Asyst won this order from TSMC based on their recognition of the benefits derived from our value assurance technology and the level of support we provide to our Asian customers. We are pleased that TSMC chose to continue to use Asyst systems in their new Fab 6. In addition, we are adding an Asyst technical support office in Tainan to supplement our Hsinchu presence and thus ensure that Asyst customers in Tainan have the necessary service and support."

"We have been using Asyst's SMIF technology in our fabs for 10 years," said Dr. F. C. Tseng, president of TSMC. "We were the first to build Asyst SMIF technology into a fab from the ground up when we built TSMC Fab 2. Now we are continuing to use their products in Fab 6. Their technology has kept pace with the needs of the industry and continues to deliver the superior solutions we require. Further, they are clearly committed to providing the necessary levels of service and support."

"Asyst has established a strong presence in Taiwan over the past 10 years," said Kenneth Leung, Asyst's vice president, Asia-Pacific Operations. "We were one of the first semiconductor equipment companies to establish a local office with a dedicated technical support team. That kind of demonstrated commitment fosters close customer relationships and builds confidence in a company-a critical factor when doing business in Asia."

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 recent S-3 Registration Statement.

About Asyst:

Asyst Technologies, Inc. is the leading provider of Standard Mechanical Interface-based minienvironment and manufacturing automation systems that enable semiconductor manufacturers to protect customers' valued assets throughout the manufacturing process while increasing manufacturing productivity. Asyst offers a broad range of 200 mm and 300 mm products that enable the Company to provide semiconductor manufacturers and Original Equipment Manufacturers automated manufacturing solutions for the transfer of wafers and information between the process equipment and the fab line.