STMicroelectronics Renews Volume Purchase Agreement with ASM International N.V. for Epsilon 2000 Epitaxial Reactors

BILTHOVEN, THE NETHERLANDS, March 23, 2000 - ASM International N.V. (Nasdaq and AEX: ASMI) announced today that it had renewed its volume purchase agreement with STMicroelectronics, Inc. (ST). An initial multi-million dollar order for several machines for reduced-pressure epitaxial reactors will be delivered over the next two quarters to the ST manufacturing plant in Carrollton, Texas. Under provisions of the volume agreement, ST has options to purchase several times the amount of this initial order of additional Epsilon 2000 RP reactors during the year 2000, for deliveries to other ST manufacturing plants located in Europe, the US and Asia. Increasing demand for ST’s specialized and high performance telecommunications and wireless products continues to drive an expansion in epitaxial capacity for its BICMOS technology products, which were announced last year.

Daniel Queyssac, President and Chief Operating Officer of ASM Front-End Businesses, stated, “The ST expansion is fueled by its ability to provide a quality on-time product at a competitive price. The ASM organization is dedicated to providing its customers with semiconductor manufacturing products that offer unique production solutions in pursuit of their product goals. We spare no effort in giving our customers an edge over their competition, whether it is in the unique design and performance of our products or in our after-sale support of their production needs.”
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Dr. Armand P. Ferro, ASM’s Epitaxial Business Unit Manager, added, “We are very pleased with ST’s continuation of confidence in the Epsilon epitaxial reactor for use in its advanced BICMOS technology product manufacturing. The highly-reliable, reduced-pressure performance of the Epsilon gives our customers a manufacturing edge in lowering the cost of cutting-edge wireless products, which are being introduced for increasingly newer applications.”

ASM International N.V. is a world-class supplier of single-wafer epitaxial reactors and related semiconductor process equipment. ASMI has been building and selling epitaxial reactors since 1987.

About ASM

ASM International is headquartered in Bilthoven, the Netherlands. ASM International's subsidiaries design, develop, manufacture and market equipment and materials used to produce semiconductor devices. ASM International and its subsidiaries provide production solutions for the wafer-processing, assembly and packaging segments through their facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan and Asia. ASM International's common shares trade on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol “ASMI” and on the Euronext Stock Exchange in Amsterdam under the symbol “ASM.” More information on ASM can be found on its website at http://www.asm.com

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Safe Harbor Statement under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements regarding orders, earnings development and the effects of research and new products on ASM’s future, and other matters discussed in this statement, except for any historical data, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, economic conditions in the semiconductor industry, currency fluctuations, the timing of significant orders, market acceptance of new products, competitive factors, risk factors related to litigation and other risks indicated in filings from time to time with the SEC and Stock Exchange Authorities.