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Technology Stocks : Asyst Technologies (ASYT) Good Value/Where is the Bottom? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Tom Smith who wrote (1329)	6/9/1999 9:33:00 PM
From: SemiBull	Respond to of 2313

Asyst Technologies Receives Follow-on Order From Strasbaugh for Wafer Handling Robotics and Track Systems for CMP Integration Order Strengthens Asyst's Leadership in Supplying Robots for Harsh Wafer Environments and Reflects Renewed OEM Confidence in Semiconductor Industry FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 9, 1999-- Asyst Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq/NMS:ASYT - news), the leading supplier of Standard Mechanical InterFace (SMIF) isolation and manufacturing automation solutions to the semiconductor industry, today announced it has received an order from Strasbaugh (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) for multiple wafer handling robots and linear wafer track systems. Strasbaugh will integrate the robotics into its 200 mm chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) Symphony tool. ''CMP and wafer grinding systems require wafer handling robots that are designed to handle the extreme environmental conditions associated with these processes. This is especially true with CMP, where corrosive chemicals and slurries are used,'' said Chuck Schillings, director of corporate marketing at Strasbaugh. ''Because Asyst's robots are designed specifically for these extreme conditions, they are robust enough to deliver the throughput and cost-of-ownership advantages both we and our customers require for volume production. These were critical factors in our decision to choose Asyst as our preferred supplier of wafer handling robots,'' Schillings added. The Strasbaugh order includes Asyst's harsh chemical and atmospheric robots, and linear wafer track systems. The harsh chemical robots are designed for operation in environments such as those found in CMP and advanced deposition processing. The atmospheric robots are high-speed robots that operate in ultraclean Class 1 environments. Asyst's linear track systems allow the robots to access multiple wafer cassettes during operation, enabling increased wafer throughput and improved cost of ownership. The Asyst robotic systems have begun shipping to Strasbaugh. Terry Moshier, president and chief operating officer of Asyst, said, ''We believe the increasing customer activity in our Asyst robotics business signals increased OEM confidence in the forecasted semiconductor industry turnaround.'' Moshier added, ''We are pleased to be a key supplier for Strasbaugh's CMP process equipment. Not only is this order indicative of our strong ongoing relationship with Strasbaugh -- a key customer for our wafer handling robots -- but also of our leadership in supplying world-class robots for extreme environmental manufacturing applications.''