October 9, 2001 — CHELMSFORD, MA — Brooks Automation has acquired semiconductor industry high-end environmental solutions provider General Precision Inc.

According to company officials, the deal will allow Brooks to strengthen its position in the OEM mini-environment market.

“As transistor geometrics get smaller and film thickness gets thinner, particle and molecular contamination control at the point of use will be increasingly more important in achieving high device yields,” said Robert J. Therrien, president and CEO of Brooks. “We are fortunate in acquiring a best in class company in this specialized technology. This will extend our reach into the fastest growing market segment of tool automation — the interface to the factory and the environmental control systems for critical processes.”

GPI, which is based in Valencia, California, designs, develops and manufactures products that provide contamination control, process isolation and temperature/humidity control solutions to the semiconductor, disk drive, pharmaceutical and aerospace industries.

The deal will be accounted for as a purchase of assets in exchange for 850,000 shares of Brooks’ common stock. GPI officials also lauded the acquisition.

“Our product and customer base, combined with Brooks’ factory interface offerings backed by a global sales and service infrastructure, should leverage and expand our combined sales to key OEMS in high volume atmospheric process equipment markets,” said Mustafa Nasr, president and CEO of GPI.