Aetrium Announces Multiple Unit Order for 1164 Reliability Test Systems.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 5, 2003

Aetrium Incorporated (Nasdaq:ATRM) reported today that it has received an order in excess of $1.5 million for a multiple number of Model 1164 reliability test systems from a recently formed international alliance of a group of leading semiconductor companies. The products are scheduled for use by the alliance in a new 300 millimeter wafer fab at an existing facility located in Europe. The company reported that the order represents a new order from the alliance but noted that the key members of the alliance are all current users of Aetrium's reliability test systems at a number of different locations.

Joseph Levesque, Aetrium's president and chief executive officer, said, "The current version of the Model 1164 reliability test system can be used for both the more mature aluminum technology and the rapidly emerging copper technology now being widely integrated into semiconductor manufacturing processes. The Model 1164 was designed to be a highly flexible system that allows it to be configured in a wide variety of forms by our customers. This customer will be using our Model 1164 primarily in copper applications that require a variety of electromigration (EM), hot carrier injection (HCI), and time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) testing. The EM and HCI modules for copper applications have been successfully installed at many of the world's leading semiconductor manufacturers in facilities around the globe. The TDDB module is one of our newer product developments and was introduced and successfully installed in 2002 in a high current copper application. Upon delivery, the systems will be configured in a variety of formats to allow the user the maximum amount of flexibility for its various applications."

Mr. Levesque added, "We are very pleased with this order as it represents a growing reliance on our reliability test technology by some of the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers. We believe that this alliance is capable of representing additional sales opportunities for Aetrium in future periods. Traditionally, Aetrium reliability test systems have provided our customers with a highly accurate and very cost-effective method of performing reliability testing on aluminum technology in the semiconductor manufacturing process. With the introduction of our copper oriented test modules we have extended the cost effectiveness of Aetrium reliability test systems to the more challenging and expensive copper applications. We believe this order is additional proof of the success of, and an added justification for, our above average expenditures for new product development during the last two years of the record setting industry recession we have been experiencing."

Mr. Levesque advised, "It is also timely for us to reconfirm our earlier revenue guidance to our investors for our second quarter. While this order for Model 1164 test systems will have some effect on revenues in the second quarter, the majority of the order is currently scheduled for delivery in our third quarter. As a result, we still expect that our revenues for the second quarter will be relatively flat when compared to our first quarter. Overall business conditions remain uncertain and most new equipment orders continue to be based primarily upon satisfying only immediate needs. The result is that the recovery within the semiconductor industry remains very spotty with some of our customers doing better in this business environment than others."

Certain matters in this news release are forward-looking statements which are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, adverse domestic or global economic conditions, slowing growth in the demand for semiconductor devices, the volatility and cyclicality of the microelectronics industry, changes in the rates of capital expenditures by semiconductor manufacturers, progress of product development programs, unanticipated costs associated with the integration or restructuring of operations, and other risk factors set forth in the company's SEC filings, including its Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2002.

Aetrium, based in North St. Paul, Minnesota, is a leading supplier of proprietary technologies and equipment that are used by the worldwide semiconductor industry to assemble and test integrated circuits and discrete electronic components. The company's products are used by customers to advance reliability, improve quality, increase product yield or improve manufacturing processes. Aetrium has manufacturing facilities in North St. Paul, Minn. and Dallas, Texas. Aetrium's common stock is publicly traded on the Nasdaq market under the symbol ATRM. More information about Aetrium is available on the internet at www.Aetrium.com.