Brooks Automation Will Provide Multi-Million Dollar 200mm Sorter Solution for Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd. Fab in Umseong, Korea.

Business/Technology Editors

CHELMSFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 7, 2000

Brooks' world-leading sorter technology will be used in the first

of Dongbu's new fabs for non-memory foundry products.

Brooks Automation, Inc. (NASDAQ: BRKS), a leader in tool and factory automation solutions for the global semiconductor industry, today announced that it has received a multi-million dollar order from Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd. for Brooks' 408S(TM) multicassette SMIF sorting system, to be used in Dongbu's new fab, which will begin operation in early 2001. Dongbu will begin in November 2000 to integrate the Brooks' 408S(TM) sorter through the new fab's front-end processes, to achieve automated handling of wafers and automated reading of wafer IDs and lot IDs. The fab in Umseong is the first of seven fabs that Dongbu is planning to build.

The 408S sorter from Brooks will enable Dongbu to significantly reduce scratches, breakages and incorrect processing of wafers by verifying wafer IDs and lots before wafers are moved into process tools. The 408S sorter will help maximize throughput in process tools used for splits and merges and improve yields through safe, efficient wafer handling.

"Dongbu selected Brooks because it is the leading provider of sorters for the 200mm industry, and a leader in the integration of software and hardware sorter technology. We knew that Brooks had a large installed base already benefiting from the high functionality and reliability of Brooks sorters," said a Dongbu executive. "We wanted to ensure the success of our first fab by implementing a proven sorter product, from a leading fab automation provider known for its technology and local support."

"The Dongbu order, won in an extremely competitive environment, reflects the hard work, dedication and talent of the Brooks Factory Hardware Division team and the Brooks Automation Asia (BAA) business unit, which has grown to a US$15M/year operation in just two years," said Michael Pippins, Senior Vice President, Brooks Automation, Inc. "Brooks provides superior product performance in terms of speed, reliability and customer support. As we continue to add to our customer base in Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia, we expect our reputation for quality, speed and reliability to grow."

Brooks Automation, Inc.

Brooks Automation, Inc. is a leading supplier of integrated automation solutions for the global semiconductor, data storage and flat panel display manufacturing industries. As an established market leader in hardware and software automation, Brooks continues to pioneer "best-in-class" technologies that outperform their competitors - from vacuum and atmospheric robots, cluster tool platforms and modules, ultra-clean mini-environments for isolating processing equipment and wafers - to factory and tool automation software and integration services. Both OEM and fab customers leverage Brooks Automation's products and services to optimize total fab performance in dynamic manufacturing environments. The Company has ISO 9001 certification, is headquartered in Chelmsford, MA and has direct operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore. Brooks' web site is www.brooks.com.

Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd.

Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd. recently entered into the non-memory microchip business through an alliance with Toshiba Corporation. Toshiba has agreed to transfer complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) logic processing technology to Dongbu. Also, Toshiba will invest US$150M in the company. Dongbu is involved in negotiations with several U.S. and Japanese companies to advance the non-memory semiconductor foundry business, which is relatively undeveloped in Korea.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The foregoing discussion contains forward-looking statements relating to the expected benefits of the Brooks Automation products sold to Dongbu Electronics Co., Ltd. These statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, risks relating to the manner in which the customer uses the products and integrates the products with other components, the Company's dependence on the cyclical semiconductor industry, the ability of the Company to continue to successfully develop and market new products and product enhancements on a timely basis, the Company's dependence on relatively few customers for a significant portion of its revenues, the Company's reliance on sales to OEM customers and the lengthy sales cycles of those customers, the highly competitive nature and rapid technological change that characterize the industries in which the Company competes, and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result, there can be no assurance that the Company's future results will not be materially different from those projected. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only of the Company's expectations as of the date of this press release. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statement to reflect any change in the Company's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.