EXHIBIT 99.1


                                     ONEIDA

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                                  NEWS RELEASE
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INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACTS:                    PRESS CONTACTS:
Andrew G. Church, Chief Financial Officer       Wilber D. Allen, Corporate Public Relations
Oneida Ltd.  (315) 361-3000                     Oneida Ltd. (315) 361-3000



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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               ONEIDA COMPLETES SALE OF SHERRILL FLATWARE FACTORY;
                 PLANT TO OPERATE AS SHERRILL MANUFACTURING INC.

ONEIDA, NY- March 22, 2005 - Oneida Ltd. (OTC:ONEI) today announced that it has
completed its sale of certain assets of its main flatware factory in Sherrill,
New York to Sherrill Manufacturing Inc. of Sherrill, New York. Oneida initially
announced an agreement to sell these assets to Sherrill Manufacturing Inc. on
February 15, 2005.

The sale includes the main factory buildings, associated equipment and certain
materials and supplies. The "Oneida" name and all other Oneida product trade
names and designs will remain the property of Oneida. The sale does not include
the Oneida warehouse in Sherrill, which Oneida will continue to operate for the
foreseeable future, or Oneida's knife plant facility in Sherrill, for which the
Company is presently seeking a buyer.

As was previously announced, the Sherrill Manufacturing Inc. will operate the
Sherrill factory as an independent supplier to Oneida Ltd., providing the
Company with flatware products, and providing various value added services, such
as plating and packaging management, to Oneida Ltd. and other non-tableware
entities. Sherrill Manufacturing Inc. is headed by Mathew Roberts, who
previously was Oneida's Vice President of Manufacturing and Engineering and
Gregory Owens who previously was General Manager of Oneida's Toluca, Mexico
flatware factory.

"With the completion of the Sherrill factory closing and sale, we have finalized
a significant component of our restructuring plan," said Peter J. Kallet, Oneida
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We wish all the best to Sherrill
Manufacturing in their operations, and we look forward to working with them as
one of our key suppliers and service providers."

Mr. Roberts of Sherrill Manufacturing said "We would like to express our thanks
to the State of New York, the Empire State Development Corporation, Mohawk
Valley EDGE and the other state and local government leaders and agencies whose
assistance helped make this transaction possible." Mr. Owens added that
"Sherrill Manufacturing is pleased to be in a position to create a new
organization, based on niche opportunities, which will create much needed
employment in the manufacturing sector and provide our customers with value in
areas where overseas suppliers are limited by their lack of proximity to the
marketplace."

Oneida Ltd. is a leading source of flatware, dinnerware, crystal, glassware and
metal serveware for both the consumer and foodservice industries worldwide.








Forward Looking Information

With the exception of historical data, the information contained in this Press
Release, as well as those other documents incorporated by reference herein, may
constitute forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Federal
securities laws, including but not limited to the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. As such, the Company cautions readers that changes in
certain factors could affect the Company's future results and could cause the
Company's future consolidated results to differ materially from those expressed
or implied herein. Such factors include, but are not limited to: changes in
national or international political conditions; civil unrest, war or terrorist
attacks; general economic conditions in the Company's own markets and related
markets; difficulties or delays in the development, production and marketing of
new products; the impact of competitive products and pricing; certain
assumptions related to consumer purchasing patterns; significant increases in
interest rates or the level of the Company's indebtedness; inability of the
Company to maintain sufficient levels of liquidity; failure of the Company to
obtain needed waivers and/or amendments relative to its financing agreements;
foreign currency fluctuations; major slowdowns in the retail, travel or
entertainment industries; the loss of several of the Company's key executives,
major customers or suppliers; underutilization of or negative variances at some
or all of the Company's plants and factories; the Company's failure to achieve
the savings and profit goals of any planned restructuring or reorganization
programs; international health epidemics such as the SARS outbreak; the impact
of changes in accounting standards; potential legal proceedings; changes in
pension and medical benefit costs; and the amount and rate of growth of the
Company's selling, general and administrative expenses.