content: <PAGE>
  
  
                                    UNITED STATES
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                               Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
  
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                           Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
           Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 2, 2002
  
  
  
                              ASYST TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
                                     California
                   (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
  
  
           000-22430                                        94-2942251
     (Commission File No.)                       (IRS Employer Identification No.)
  
  
  
                                   48761 Kato Road
                             Fremont, California 94538
                (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)
  
  
  
         Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (510) 661-5000
  
                                         1
  
  <PAGE>
  
  ITEM 4. CHANGES IN REGISTRANT'S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT.
  
  On April 2, 2002, Asyst Technologies, Inc. ("Asyst" or the "Registrant")
  terminated the engagement of its current independent public accountant, Arthur
  Andersen LLP. This termination followed Asyst's decision to seek proposals from
  other independent auditors to audit Asyst's consolidated financial statements
  for its fiscal year ended March 31, 2002.
  
  On April 2, 2002, the Board of Directors, based on the recommendation of the
  Audit Committee, retained PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as its independent auditors
  with respect to the audit of Asyst's consolidated financial statements for its
  fiscal year ended March 31, 2002.
  
  During Asyst's two most recent fiscal years ended March 31, 2001, and during the
  subsequent interim period preceding the replacement of Arthur Andersen LLP,
  there was no disagreement between Asyst and Arthur Andersen LLP on any matter of
  accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing
  scope or procedure which, if not resolved to Arthur Andersen LLP's satisfaction,
  would have caused Arthur Andersen LLP to make reference to the subject matter of
  the disagreement in connection with its reports. The audit reports of Arthur
  Andersen LLP on the consolidated financial statements of Asyst as of and for the
  last two fiscal years ended March 31, 2001 did not contain any adverse opinion
  or disclaimer of opinion, nor were these opinions qualified or modified as to
  uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles. A letter from Arthur Andersen
  LLP is attached hereto as Exhibit 16.1.
  
  During Asyst's two most recent fiscal years ended March 31, 2001, and during the
  subsequent interim period preceding the replacement of Arthur Andersen LLP,
  Asyst has not consulted with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP regarding the
  application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either
  completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on
  Asyst's financial statements.
  
  
  ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
  
  c) Exhibits. The following exhibits are filed with this document.
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
  <S>                          <C>
  
  Exhibit Number               Description
  
          16.1                 Letter from Arthur Andersen LLP to the Securities and Exchange Commission dated
                               April 2, 2002
  
          99.1                 Press Release dated April 3, 2002
  
  
  </TABLE>
  
                                         2
  
  <PAGE>
  
  SIGNATURES
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
       registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
       undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  
                                   ASYST TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  
  
       Dated: April 3, 2002        By: /s/ Geoffrey G. Ribar
                                      ---------------------------------------
                                      Geoffrey G. Ribar
                                      Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
                                      Officer
  
                                         3
  
  <PAGE>
  
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
  <S>                          <C>
  Exhibit Number               Description
  
          16.1                 Letter from Arthur Andersen LLP to the Securities and Exchange Commission dated
                               April 2, 2002
  
          99.1                 Press Release dated April 3, 2002
  
  </TABLE>
  
                                         4
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text: UNITED STATES
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                               Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
                                   CURRENT REPORT
  
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                           Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
           Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 2, 2002
  
                              ASYST TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
                                     California
                   (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
           000-22430                                        94-2942251
     (Commission File No.)                       (IRS Employer Identification No.)
  
                                   48761 Kato Road
                             Fremont, California 94538
                (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)
  
         Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (510) 661-5000
  
                                         1
  ITEM 4. CHANGES IN REGISTRANT'S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT.
  
  On April 2, 2002, Asyst Technologies, Inc. ("Asyst" or the "Registrant")
  terminated the engagement of its current independent public accountant, Arthur
  Andersen LLP. This termination followed Asyst's decision to seek proposals from
  other independent auditors to audit Asyst's consolidated financial statements
  for its fiscal year ended March 31, 2002.
  
  On April 2, 2002, the Board of Directors, based on the recommendation of the
  Audit Committee, retained PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as its independent auditors
  with respect to the audit of Asyst's consolidated financial statements for its
  fiscal year ended March 31, 2002.
  
  During Asyst's two most recent fiscal years ended March 31, 2001, and during the
  subsequent interim period preceding the replacement of Arthur Andersen LLP,
  there was no disagreement between Asyst and Arthur Andersen LLP on any matter of
  accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing
  scope or procedure which, if not resolved to Arthur Andersen LLP's satisfaction,
  would have caused Arthur Andersen LLP to make reference to the subject matter of
  the disagreement in connection with its reports. The audit reports of Arthur
  Andersen LLP on the consolidated financial statements of Asyst as of and for the
  last two fiscal years ended March 31, 2001 did not contain any adverse opinion
  or disclaimer of opinion, nor were these opinions qualified or modified as to
  uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles. A letter from Arthur Andersen
  LLP is attached hereto as Exhibit 16.1.
  
  During Asyst's two most recent fiscal years ended March 31, 2001, and during the
  subsequent interim period preceding the replacement of Arthur Andersen LLP,
  Asyst has not consulted with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP regarding the
  application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either
  completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on
  Asyst's financial statements.
  
  ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
  
  c) Exhibits. The following exhibits are filed with this document.
  Exhibit Number               Description
  
          16.1                 Letter from Arthur Andersen LLP to the Securities and Exchange Commission dated
                               April 2, 2002
  
          99.1                 Press Release dated April 3, 2002
  2
  SIGNATURES
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
       registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
       undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                   ASYST TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  
       Dated: April 3, 2002        By: /s/ Geoffrey G. Ribar
                                      ---------------------------------------
                                      Geoffrey G. Ribar
                                      Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
                                      Officer
  
                                         3
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  Exhibit Number               Description
  
          16.1                 Letter from Arthur Andersen LLP to the Securities and Exchange Commission dated
                               April 2, 2002
  
          99.1                 Press Release dated April 3, 2002
  4