ATMI appoints James M. Burns president of EcoSys, its semiconductor environmental equipment subsidiary.

DANBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 1997--Advanced Technology Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: ATMI) today announced that its board of directors has appointed James M. Burns president of its ATMI EcoSys (San Jose, CA) environmental equipment subsidiary. Michael W. Hayes, EcoSys's acting president, becomes vice-president, sales and marketing.

Burns joins EcoSys from Genus Inc., where he was executive vice-president and general manager of the thin film division. At Genus, he managed the design, development, and marketing of chemical vapor deposition capital equipment, with annual revenues of approximately $60 million.

Prior to Genus, Burns spent 19 years with Hewlett-Packard, in manufacturing, operations, and division general management. When he left, Burns was group manufacturing manager for the $4 billion peripherals group where he created and directed worldwide manufacturing strategy for a dozen plants.

During his thirty years in the semiconductor industry, Burns has gained broad technical understanding of such key areas as capital equipment development and sales, VLS IC design and production, quality assurance, photomask services and operations, and wafer fabrication. Burns received his MBA from the University of Santa Clara. His background is in electrical engineering, with an MS from Stanford University, and a BS from the University of Connecticut. Besides Genus and Hewlett-Packard, Burns has worked with Hughes Network Systems in operations and Bell Laboratories in design.

Gene Banucci, ATMI CEO, said, "Bringing Jim on board will help us consolidate and grow EcoSys market share worldwide. He has strong semiconductor manufacturing experience, and understands ATMI's core thin film expertise. His knowledge will help EcoSys meet the expanding global demand for point-of-use pollution abatement equipment and the full on-site service EcoSys offers to the semiconductor industry. We are excited to have him on board."

Burns said, "I am eagerly anticipating leading the EcoSys team. EcoSys is well positioned as a leading environmental equipment supplier to the semiconductor industry. We are able to provide flexible systems integration solutions through our unique product breadth, strategic global alliances, superior applications technology, and full fab support, affording our customers significant competitive advantage."

Hayes, vice president sales and marketing, assumes full responsibility for the creation and implementation of intensive global sales and marketing support for all EcoSys products. Hayes has spent 25 years in the semiconductor industry. Prior to joining EcoSys, he was director of the Guardian Systems unit of MG Industries, before its acquisition by ATMI. A charter member of SEMI's gases and safety committees, Hayes has also been marketing manager of Scientific Gas Products (now part of Scott Specialty Gases), a co-founder of Phoenix Research Corp. (now part of Praxair), and held sales, marketing, and management positions with Synthatron Corp. (now part of Solkatronics), Precision Gas Products (now part of AGA Gas), and Liquid Carbonic.

Statements which are not historical information are forward looking, which involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to: changes in semiconductor industry growth or ATMI's markets; competition, problems, or delays developing and commercializing new products, and other factors discussed in ATMI's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

ATMI is a leading provider of advanced semiconductor materials and environmental equipment. It is also developing next-generation semiconductor devices based on its new materials technologies. EcoSys, an ATMI company, is a world leader in point-of-use environmental equipment for the semiconductor industry.

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Dean Hamilton, 203/794-1100

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