SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - July 18, 2001 - Asyst Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq NM: ASYT), the leading provider of Standard Mechanical Interface (SMIF)-based manufacturing automation systems, today announced that Jack Ghiselli, president of recently acquired GW Associates (GWA), has received the prestigious Karel Urbanek Memorial Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) International Standards program. In a ceremony held last night at the San Francisco Marriott Hotel, Ghiselli was recognized for his leadership in developing operations standards for manufacturing facilities in the semiconductor industry, which have allowed the industry to reduce equipment costs and greatly increase production efficiency. The award is the highest honor bestowed by SEMI for outstanding contributions to the advancement of its International Standards program.

With more than 500 equipment platforms and more than 30,000 software programs installed worldwide, GWA leads the industry in connectivity solutions based on the Semiconductor Equipment Communications Standards (SECS) and the SEMI Generic Equipment Model Standard (GEM). As processing of 300mm wafers continues to escalate, GWA and Asyst engineers will collaborate on development of 300mm process platforms encompassing hardware for wafer tracking and connectivity software for automated fab management.

"I am very pleased that SEMI International Standards has honored my work via this prestigious award, and I look forward to maintaining an active leadership role in the ongoing development of process standards," stated Ghiselli, who has spent nearly 25 years working with SEMI's standards group to define the connectivity standards required for communications between semiconductor process equipment and wafer-fab-management computers. "Standards are becoming increasingly important as the industry moves into the 300mm era, which requires increased full-fab automation solutions offerings from companies like GW Associates and Asyst," Ghiselli added.

Ghiselli has 35 years' experience in software design and in the development of embedded equipment control and factory communications software for a wide range of microelectronic manufacturing equipment and factory automation systems for the semiconductor, surface-mount and flat-panel industries. He began his SEMI International Standards involvement in 1979 as a member of the communications subcommittee. This group evolved into the North America Information and Control Committee, of which he is currently co-chairman. Ghiselli was personally involved in the development and publication of the SEMI SECS, GEM and High-Speed SECS Message Services (HSMS) standards, and he is currently helping develop SEMI's emerging 300mm communications standards.

Bruce Gehman, senior director of International Standards for SEMI, officiated the awards ceremony at last night's reception. "It's our great pleasure to have presented Jack Ghiselli with this award," said Gehman. "His long-standing commitment to the betterment of SEMI communications standards has directly impacted the quality of our standards throughout their evolution, and his work represents a significant contribution to this industry."

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: the volatility of semiconductor industry cycles, failure to respond to rapid demand shifts, dependence on a few significant customers, the transition of the industry from 200mm wafers to 300mm wafers, risks associated with the acceptance of new products and product capabilities, including our Plus Portal systems, competition in the semiconductor equipment industry, failure to efficiently integrate acquired companies, failure to retain employees, and other factors more fully detailed in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2001 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 19, 2001, as amended.

About GW Associates Inc.
Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., GW Associates Inc. was acquired by Asyst Technologies, Inc. on May 22, 2001. GW Associates is the semiconductor industry's leader in enabling factory integration products that comply with Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) Semiconductor Equipment Communications Standards (SECS) and the SEMI Generic Equipment Model Standard (GEM), as well as the new 300mm standards. The company also provides computer software and services for factory automation a variety of electronics manufacturing environments. GW Associates is located at 1183 Bordeaux Drive, Suite 27, Sunnyvale, Calif., 94089. Visit GW Associates on the World Wide Web at http://www.gwa.com.

About Asyst
Asyst Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of integrated automation systems for the semiconductor manufacturing industry, which enable semiconductor manufacturers to increase their manufacturing productivity and protect their investment in silicon wafers during the manufacture of integrated circuits, or ICs. Through its "Value-Assured Fab" strategy, Asyst offers a broad range of 200mm and 300mm solutions that enable the safe transfer of wafers and information between the process equipment and the fab line throughout the IC fabrication process, while reducing IC damage caused by human, environmental, mechanical and chemical factors. Encompassing isolation systems, work-in-process materials management, substrate-handling robotics, automated transport and loading systems, and connectivity automation software, Asyst's modular, interoperable solutions allow chipmakers and original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, to select and employ the value-assured, hands-off manufacturing capabilities that best suit their needs.