Fremont, CA, December 17, 1996 - Asyst Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASYT), the leading supplier of SMIF-based technology and automation solutions to the worldwide semiconductor industry, today announced it has appointed Gerry McFaull to the position of vice president of manufacturing operations. In this new position reporting to Terry Moshier, Asyst's executive vice president and chief operating officer, McFaull is responsible for materials, packaging, product manufacturing, in-process quality and manufacturing engineering operations.

McFaull brings to Asyst over 20 years' experience in the high-tech industry. "Gerry has extensive leadership experience in managing and directing materials and manufacturing operations within industry-leading companies," said Moshier. "His proven operations management skills will enhance our ability to help provide customers with solutions for their standard mechanical interface (SMIF) requirements. We are excited about Gerry's addition to the Asyst Technologies' team."

McFaull joins Asyst from Lam Research Corporation, a $1.3 billion manufacturer of semiconductor etch and deposition systems. During his six years at Lam he held management positions with increasing levels of responsibility, including vice president of manufacturing and, most recently, vice president of materials. Prior to Lam, McFaull managed materials and quality functions at Sun Microsystems, Inc. His background also includes management positions at Ultratech Stepper, Inc., and Xerox Corporation. Educated in the U.K., McFaull holds a master's degree in industrial engineering from Cranfield Institute of Technology and an undergraduate degree in production engineering from Hatfield Polytechnical University.

About Asyst
Asyst Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of material control and automation systems that help semiconductor manufacturers improve their integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing productivity. The company's Asyst-SMIFTM System combines state-of-the-art minienvironments with advanced robotics to create ultraclean processing environments that are both comprehensive and flexible. The SMART-TravelerTM System (STS) works in tandem with SMIF to eliminate misprocessing. Both Asyst-SMIF and its companion STS products are integral to seamless factory automation. Asyst's subsidiary, Asyst Automation, Inc., focuses on material handling control software and inter-bay/intra-bay automation systems. The company's newest subsidiary, Asyst Software, Inc., is dedicated to the development of software products for equipment communications and automated material handling, identification and tracking. Founded in 1984, Asyst Technologies, Inc. is headquartered in Fremont, CA, with facilities in Europe and the Far East. Asyst Automation, Inc. is located outside Boston, Mass., with Asyst Software located in San Jose, CA The company's common stock trades on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol ASYT.