Amtech Systems Inc. Adds Two New Customers and $2.4 Million in Orders From Optical Component Manufacturers.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 23, 2001

Amtech Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: ASYS) Friday announced that it has received three additional systems orders from optical component manufacturers since Sept. 7, 2000, when Amtech announced its initial sales of systems into that market.

These systems orders call for $2.4 million in shipments of diffusion furnace systems during the current fiscal year. Two of these orders are from new optical component customers located in the United States and Canada, further expanding the company's customer base.

Since its entry into that market last year, Amtech has received $9.6 million in orders from six new optical component manufacturing customers.

The $9.6 million excludes orders for three furnaces that were canceled recently, as disclosed in Amtech's Form 10-Q and earnings release for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2000, and in the president's letter in the fiscal 2000 annual report to shareholders.

These cancellations were also excluded from the $12 million backlog reported on the same Form 10-Q. However, neither the backlog nor the $9.6 million in orders include the increased revenue Amtech expects to receive through price adjustments on other systems purchased by the customer who canceled the three systems.

J.S. Whang, Amtech's president and chief executive officer, stated, "I am very pleased with our ability to continue to expand our customer base in this exciting new market sector and the potential for further expansion indicated by recent customer interest.

"Additionally, we have added new customers for our IBAL Automation product line as a result of last year's launch of our new E-300 and S-300 systems. While we have seen some softening in certain markets and for certain products, the diverse nature of our markets and products and recent order activity make me optimistic regarding future orders and our growth prospects for fiscal 2001."

Amtech Systems Inc. manufactures capital equipment, including silicon wafer handling automation, semiconductor processing equipment and related consumables used in fabricating semiconductor devices.

Semiconductors, or semiconductor chips, are fabricated on silicon wafer substrates, sliced from ingots, and are part of the circuitry, or electronic components, of many products including computers, telecommunications devices, automotive products, consumer goods and industrial automation and control systems.

The company's semiconductor handling and processing products currently address the polishing of newly sliced silicon wafers and reclaimed test wafers and the oxidation and deposition steps used in the fabrication of semiconductors.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by Amtech Systems Inc.) contains statements that are forward-looking.

Such forward-looking information involves a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed or anticipated by management.

Potential risks and uncertainties include, among other factors, industry specific and general business conditions, competitive market conditions, success of Amtech's growth and sales strategies, the possibility of customer changes in delivery schedules, cancellation of orders, potential delays in product shipments, delays in obtaining inventory parts from suppliers, failure to satisfy customer acceptance requirements and the effects of adopting Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101, "Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements," which was issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission.