FREMONT, Calif.- March 14, 2005-Asyst Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASYT), a leading supplier of integrated automation solutions that enhance semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing productivity, today announced that Hynix Semiconductor Inc. has selected Asyst's Spartan Integrated Sorter for Hynix's new 300mm fab in Ichon, South Korea. The multi-million dollar order from Hynix marks the first win for the Spartan Sorter in South Korea and the fifth major 300mm customer penetration for the Spartan Sorter since its first shipment less than one year ago.

A Hynix spokesperson said, "We chose Asyst's Spartan Sorter because it provided the best performance under our rigorous standards for high productivity, high reliability, and low cost of ownership. The Spartan Sorter's excellent performance will help to ensure that we continue to offer our customers the best memory solution in the industry."

Wayne Nobles, vice president and general manager of Asyst's Automation Systems Division, said, "We are delighted to have been selected by Hynix for their critical 300mm wafer sorting applications. Spartan is continuing to gain momentum as our customers recognize the unique capabilities and benefits of the industry's most advanced sorting solution."

Unlike traditional sorters, which rely on the labor and cost-intensive integration of off-the-shelf components, the Spartan Sorter was designed from the outset as a unified wafer management solution, embodying the minimum scale and complexity necessary to accomplish its core job of moving wafers as cleanly and as quickly as possible. This improves reliability and maximizes efficiency, enables quick start-ups for faster time-to-production, provides higher throughput and delivers industry-leading cleanliness with the lowest particle levels.

About Asyst

Asyst Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of integrated automation solutions that enable semiconductor and flat panel display (FPD) manufacturers to increase their manufacturing productivity and protect their investments in materials during the manufacturing process. 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 chip and FPD manufacturers, as well as original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, to select and employ the value-assured, hands-off manufacturing capabilities that best suit their needs. Asyst's homepage is http://www.asyst.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

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: Asyst's ability to provide targeted customer benefits and product efficiencies and performance, to integrate its systems effectively with those of OEM customers, to deliver and support its products in a timely manner, and other factors more fully detailed in Asyst's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 27, 2004, and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-Q/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

"Asyst" is a registered trademark of Asyst Technologies, Inc. "Spartan" is a trademark of Asyst Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.