content: <PAGE>
  
                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
                      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): DECEMBER 7, 2000
  
                             ASYST TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specific in its charter)
  
                                    CALIFORNIA
                  (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
         000-22430                                          94-2944251
    (Commission File No.)                        (IRS Employer identification No.)
  
  
                                  48761 KATO ROAD
                                 FREMONT, CA 94538
               (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)
  
        Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (510) 661-5000
  
  
                                        1.
  <PAGE>
  
  ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS
  
  This Current Report on Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements within the
  meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section
  21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking
  statements contained herein involve risks and uncertainties, including those
  relating to the possible inability to complete the merger transactions involving
  Asyst Technologies, Inc., a California corporation ("Asyst"), Advanced Machine
  Programming, Inc., a California corporation ("AMP"), and Semifab, Inc.
  ("Semifab") as scheduled, or at all, and those associated with the ability of
  the combined companies to achieve the anticipated benefits of the mergers.
  Actual results and developments may differ materially from those described or
  incorporated by reference in this Report. For more information about Asyst and
  risks arising when investing in Asyst, investors are directed to Asyst's most
  recent report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
  
  On December 7, 2000. Asyst announced that it entered into a definitive merger
  agreement with AMP. The definitive merger agreement contemplates that, subject
  to the satisfaction of certain conditions contained therein, including the
  approval of the merger referred to therein by the shareholders of AMP and the
  expiration or early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-
  Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended ("HSR"), Asyst would
  acquire AMP for a combination of cash and stock. Upon completion of the merger,
  shareholders of AMP will receive $19 million in cash, subject to an adjustment
  based on the net working capital that remains in AMP as of the closing date, and
  $19 million of Asyst stock valued at the average closing sale prices for a share
  of Asyst stock as reported on the Nasdaq National Market over the 5 consecutive
  trading days immediately preceding the closing date. The description contained
  in this Item 5 of the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement is
  qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the merger agreement.
  
  On December 7, 2000, Asyst announced that it entered into a definitive merger
  agreement with Semifab. The definitive merger agreement contemplates that,
  subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions contained therein, including
  the approval of the merger referred to therein by the shareholders of Semifab
  and the expiration or early termination of the waiting period under HSR, Asyst
  would acquire Semifab for a combination of cash and stock. Upon completion of
  the merger, shareholders of Semifab for a combination of cash and stock. Upon
  completion of the merger, shareholders of Semifab will receive $5 million in
  cash, 1,000,000 shares of Asyst stock, and 450,000 shares of Asyst stock subject
  to Asyst's right of repurchase based on the failure to attain milestones, which
  expires, at the latest, on June 30, 2002. The description contained in this Item
  5 of the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement is qualified in its
  entirety by reference to the full text of the merger agreement.
  
  The press release issued by Asyst, dated December 7, 2000, entitled "Asyst
  Pioneers Automation Foundry Model With Two Strategic Acquisitions" is attached
  hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
  
                                        2.
  
  <PAGE>
  
  ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS
  
  (c) Exhibits
  
  Exhibit
  Number            Description
  -------           -----------
  99.1              Press Release dated December 7, 2000
  
  
  
  
                                        3.
  <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
  
  Dated:  December 21, 2000
  
                                     By: /s/ Douglas J. McCutcheon
                                         __________________________________
                                     Douglas J. McCutcheon
                                     Senior Vice President, Chief Financial
                                     Officer
  
  
  
  
                                        4.
  <PAGE>
  
                                   EXHBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit
  Number             Description
  -------            -----------
  99.1               Press Release dated December 7, 2000
  
  
  
                                        5.
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text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
                      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): DECEMBER 7, 2000
  
                             ASYST TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specific in its charter)
  
                                    CALIFORNIA
                  (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
         000-22430                                          94-2944251
    (Commission File No.)                        (IRS Employer identification No.)
  
                                  48761 KATO ROAD
                                 FREMONT, CA 94538
               (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)
  
        Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (510) 661-5000
  
                                        1.
  ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS
  
  This Current Report on Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements within the
  meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section
  21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking
  statements contained herein involve risks and uncertainties, including those
  relating to the possible inability to complete the merger transactions involving
  Asyst Technologies, Inc., a California corporation ("Asyst"), Advanced Machine
  Programming, Inc., a California corporation ("AMP"), and Semifab, Inc.
  ("Semifab") as scheduled, or at all, and those associated with the ability of
  the combined companies to achieve the anticipated benefits of the mergers.
  Actual results and developments may differ materially from those described or
  incorporated by reference in this Report. For more information about Asyst and
  risks arising when investing in Asyst, investors are directed to Asyst's most
  recent report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
  
  On December 7, 2000. Asyst announced that it entered into a definitive merger
  agreement with AMP. The definitive merger agreement contemplates that, subject
  to the satisfaction of certain conditions contained therein, including the
  approval of the merger referred to therein by the shareholders of AMP and the
  expiration or early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-
  Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended ("HSR"), Asyst would
  acquire AMP for a combination of cash and stock. Upon completion of the merger,
  shareholders of AMP will receive $19 million in cash, subject to an adjustment
  based on the net working capital that remains in AMP as of the closing date, and
  $19 million of Asyst stock valued at the average closing sale prices for a share
  of Asyst stock as reported on the Nasdaq National Market over the 5 consecutive
  trading days immediately preceding the closing date. The description contained
  in this Item 5 of the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement is
  qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the merger agreement.
  
  On December 7, 2000, Asyst announced that it entered into a definitive merger
  agreement with Semifab. The definitive merger agreement contemplates that,
  subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions contained therein, including
  the approval of the merger referred to therein by the shareholders of Semifab
  and the expiration or early termination of the waiting period under HSR, Asyst
  would acquire Semifab for a combination of cash and stock. Upon completion of
  the merger, shareholders of Semifab for a combination of cash and stock. Upon
  completion of the merger, shareholders of Semifab will receive $5 million in
  cash, 1,000,000 shares of Asyst stock, and 450,000 shares of Asyst stock subject
  to Asyst's right of repurchase based on the failure to attain milestones, which
  expires, at the latest, on June 30, 2002. The description contained in this Item
  5 of the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement is qualified in its
  entirety by reference to the full text of the merger agreement.
  
  The press release issued by Asyst, dated December 7, 2000, entitled "Asyst
  Pioneers Automation Foundry Model With Two Strategic Acquisitions" is attached
  hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
  
                                        2.
  ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS
  
  (c) Exhibits
  
  Exhibit
  Number            Description
  -------           -----------
  99.1              Press Release dated December 7, 2000
  
                                        3.
  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
  
  Dated:  December 21, 2000
  
                                     By: /s/ Douglas J. McCutcheon
                                         __________________________________
                                     Douglas J. McCutcheon
                                     Senior Vice President, Chief Financial
                                     Officer
  
                                        4.
  EXHBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit
  Number             Description
  -------            -----------
  99.1               Press Release dated December 7, 2000
  
                                        5.