The US-based privately held L-Tech Corporation, an innovative developer of solutions for the semiconductor equipment market, is to be integrated into the SEZ Group. The acquisition expands the SEZ Group's technological competence and completes its portfolio of wet bench applications with L-Tech's patented drying technology. L-Tech Corporation's founders as well as a five key employees will join the SEZ Group development and management team in the US. Details of the purchase price were not disclosed.

Drying capability is crucial in the wet bench treatment of wafers. With the integration of L-Tech, the SEZ Group now has its own drying technology in house. This strategic move significantly strengthens the Group's position in the wet bench segment and secures long-term technological independence in that sector. By combining the wet bench product set acquired last year and the unique drying technology of L-Tech, the SEZ Group is now a single source for all wet wafer processing applications - not only for the volume-driven batch technology but also for the single-wafer technology using the unrivaled SEZ spin-processor.

About SEZ
The SEZ Group is a leading supplier of wet wafer surface preparation equipment to the global semiconductor manufacturing industry. The company's proprietary Spin-Processor technology (single wafer technology) as well as its wet bench equipment for batch processing forms the basis of a broad equipment solution portfolio for wafer cleaning and decontamination. SEZ maintains development, manufacturing, sales, marketing and service operations in Europe, Asia and North America. Registered in Zurich, Switzerland, SEZ Holding AG is listed on the Swiss Exchange under the symbol SEZN since 1996.

Villach/Zurich, June 10, 2002