Fremont, CA — February 14, 2002 — Asyst Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq NM: ASYT), a leading provider of integrated automation solutions for the semiconductor manufacturing industry, today announced that it has hired three highly experienced leaders to fill newly created senior management positions.

The company also announced that it has named Jon Sabol to the newly created position of vice president, Equipment Solutions Group. Sabol, 35, joined the company in March 2001, as vice president and general manager, Integrated Systems and Robotic Division. Sabol's career includes business and technical positions with General Motors and Applied Materials, where he was most recently general manager of its Service Business and chief marketing officer for Applied's Customer Productivity Support Division. He holds a bachelor's of science degree in mechanical engineering from Ohio State University.

Wayne Nobles, 40, has been appointed vice president and general manager of Asyst's Wafer and Reticle Carrier Group and SMART Traveler™ Group. He joined Asyst after having spent six years at Applied Materials, most recently as vice president of program management and quality assurance at Applied's Consilium Division. Among his previous posts within Applied were director of Year 2000 readiness, and global product manager of the company's Centura platform. Before joining Applied, Nobles served three years in program management with the U.S. Energy Department's Office of Waste Management. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, where he earned a bachelor's of science degree, with distinction, in naval architecture, Nobles also holds a master's of science degree in engineering, naval architecture and marine engineering from the University of Michigan, and an MBA, with distinction, from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Peter Sullivan, 41, has been appointed vice president and general manager of Asyst's Interface and Robotics Product Group. Prior to joining Asyst, he spent three years as senior vice president and general manager, operations and customer support, with Philips Medical Systems. Previous high-tech industry experience includes a series of management positions, first at Applied Materials and then at Lam Research Corp., where he worked for six years, including spearheading the company's successful Spares Business Unit. Sullivan holds a bachelor's of science degree in chemical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute of Massachusetts.

"These new hires are consistent with our recent strategic reorganization focusing our product management, product development, sales and support functions on our two primary markets: equipment manufacturers and chip manufacturers," said Steven Schwartz, executive vice president of product groups and operations. "Peter will report to Jon Sabol, and together they will concentrate on driving products and programs to increase Asyst's market penetration in the global chipmaking equipment sector. Wayne will report to me, in my role as leader of our Fab Solutions Group, and will be responsible for strengthening our industry leadership in wafer and reticle carriers, and SMART Traveler systems."

The company also has named John Swenson, 39, to the newly created role of vice president, investor relations and corporate communications. He has more than 18 years of investor and media relations' experience, most recently serving as senior vice president and practice group leader at public relations firm Fleishman-Hillard, Inc. Prior to that, he served for four years with investor relations consulting firm Morgen-Walke Associates, Inc., most recently as principal and regional manager of the firm's West Coast practice. Swenson also held internal communications positions with MCI Communications and Cray Research, Inc. He received a bachelor's of arts degree, with honors, from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn.

About Asyst
Asyst Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of integrated automation solutions that enable semiconductor manufacturers to increase manufacturing productivity and protect investments in silicon wafers during the manufacture of integrated circuits, or ICs. The company offers a broad range of 200mm and 300mm solutions that enable the safe transfer of wafers and information between 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.

Safe Harbor
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 10Q quarterly report on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.