EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bruce A. Klein
Vice President-Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Rockford, Illinois
815-962-8867

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2004

CLARCOR REPORTS RECORD FIRST QUARTER 2004 RESULTS
AND INCREASES FULL YEAR EARNINGS PER SHARE GUIDANCE

NET EARNINGS UP 22% OVER LAST YEAR'S FIRST QUARTER

UNAUDITED FISCAL FIRST QUARTER 2004 HIGHLIGHTS
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data and percentages)

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUARTER ENDED %
2/28/04 3/1/03 CHANGE
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Net Sales $175,272 $171,494 2.2
Operating Profit $17,813 $15,487 15.0
Net Earnings $11,661 $9,596 21.5
Diluted Earnings Per Share $0.45 $0.38 18.4
Average Diluted Shares Outstanding 25,813,606 25,348,353 1.8
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FIRST QUARTER 2004 OPERATING REVIEW

ROCKFORD, IL, THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2004--CLARCOR INC. (NYSE: CLC) today
reported results for the first quarter ended February 28, 2004. Sales in the
first quarter of 2004 increased by $4 million, a 2% increase compared to 2003.
Operating profit in the first quarter of 2004 increased by 15% and net earnings
by 22% compared to the same quarter in 2003. Diluted earnings per share
increased by 18%. A weaker U.S. dollar increased sales by approximately $1
million. Cash flow from operations was $15 million in the first quarter compared
to $13 million in the same quarter in 2003.

Norm Johnson, CLARCOR's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are very
pleased with our strong start to 2004 with net earnings growing by nearly 22%
from the first quarter last year. Revenue growth was moderate and we believe
that it will accelerate as the year progresses. Operating margins continue to
improve, driven by increased sales in our Engine/Mobile segment, restructuring
and cost reduction programs in our Industrial/Environmental segment and higher
sales in our international operations which were helped by a weaker U.S. dollar.
We expect improved operating margins in both our filtration segments during the
remainder of 2004, and particularly in our Industrial/Environmental segment
where, even without revenue growth, our cost reduction and restructuring
initiatives are proving very effective.

"Engine/Mobile segment sales increased by 6% while Industrial/Environmental
segment sales declined by 2%. Growth in Europe and in Asia was particularly good
this quarter in both our filtration segments. Many of our overseas operations
saw high single-digit or double-digit growth in local currencies. Our
Engine/Mobile segment grew domestically due to additional sales through
aftermarket distribution and to national accounts, and new business from
railroads and railroad equipment maintenance companies. Sales were down
domestically in our building air filtration companies, which are part of our
Industrial/Environmental segment, though we expect this to reverse as the year
progresses and the economy continues its expansion. On a positive note, we
experienced growth in our other domestic Industrial/Environmental filtration
companies, which sell specialty liquid filter applications to a variety of end
markets.

"While we expect 2004 will be another strong cash flow year for CLARCOR, cash
flow from operations, after capital expenditures and investment in working
capital, will be lower in 2004 than in 2003. We will make investments this year
to expand our production facilities at several of our filtration companies. We
will also expand technical and research facilities in our
Industrial/Environmental filtration segment at our environmental air filtration
and process liquid filtration companies. We plan this year to invest in areas
which we believe will grow strongly in the future, such as process liquid filter
applications, and also to complete various restructuring programs to drive
improved operating profitability. We expect capital expenditures this year to
reach approximately $25 million to $30 million, up from $13 million in 2003.

"We noted last quarter that our move to Nashville, Tennessee will cost us about
$0.07 per share this year, and this amount is not reflected in our earnings per
share estimate. So far, we have incurred only a very small portion of those
costs and expect the largest portion to occur in our third fiscal quarter.
During the first quarter, we sold a facility in Europe for approximately $1.3
million which resulted in a gain, recorded as part of other income, of
approximately $0.02 per share. Early in the second quarter of 2004, we acquired
the operating assets of a small engine filter company in England, but this
acquisition will not materially affect our operating results for 2004.

"We have raised our 2004 earnings forecast from $2.25 to $2.35 per share to
$2.25 to $2.40 per share. We are optimistic about 2004 based on our first
quarter results and indications of an improving U.S. economy. Our experience is
that aftermarket filter sales, which comprise the dominant part of our business,
tend to lag the overall economy. This is particularly true for our environmental
air filtration companies. We have seen that our customers react to business
opportunities first and then later address the maintenance of their facilities
and equipment fleets, that is, change filters. Therefore, we expect stronger
top-line growth later this year and improved margins and profitability overall
for 2004 compared to last year."

CLARCOR will be holding a conference call to discuss the first quarter at 10:00
am CST on March 19, 2004. Interested parties can listen to the conference call
at www.clarcor.com or www.fulldisclosure.com. A replay will be available on
these websites and also at 877-519-4471 or 973-341-3080 and providing
confirmation code 4593883. The replay will be available through March 26, 2004
by telephone and for 30 days on the Internet.

CLARCOR is based in Rockford, Illinois, and is a diversified marketer and
manufacturer of mobile, industrial and environmental filtration products and
consumer and industrial packaging products sold in domestic and international
markets. Common shares of the Company are traded on the New York Stock Exchange
under the symbol CLC.

The statements in this release concerning the Company's sales, earnings,
business performance and prospects are forward-looking statements that involve
significant risks and uncertainties, including the effect of changes in product
demand, availability of labor, price and product competition, raw material
costs, energy prices, productivity improvement and plant consolidation programs,
distribution channels, acquisitions and divestitures, general economic
conditions in both domestic and foreign markets, interest rates, currency
fluctuations, the success of our Total Filtration Program, the success of sales
and marketing programs, the cost of the relocation of the Company's corporate
offices, the cost of compliance with recently enacted regulatory requirements
such as Sarbanes-Oxley Rule Section 404 and other factors discussed in filings
made with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

TABLES FOLLOW

- MORE -

CLARCOR 2004 UNAUDITED FIRST QUARTER RESULTS cont'd.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
(Dollars in thousands except per share data)

First Quarter
---------------------------------
For periods ended February 28, 2004 and March 1, 2003 2004 2003
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Net sales ........................................... $ 175,272 $ 171,494
Cost of sales ....................................... 123,788 123,145
------------ ------------
Gross profit ................................... 51,484 48,349
Selling and administrative expenses ................. 33,671 32,862
------------ ------------
Operating profit ............................... 17,813 15,487
Other income (expense) .............................. 551 (375)
------------ ------------
Earnings before income taxes ................... 18,364 15,112
Income taxes ........................................ 6,703 5,516
------------ ------------
Net earnings ........................................ $ 11,661 $ 9,596
------------ ------------
Net earnings per common share:
Basic ............................................ $ 0.46 $ 0.39
------------ ------------
Diluted .......................................... $ 0.45 $ 0.38
------------ ------------
Average shares outstanding:
Basic ............................................ 25,368,917 24,920,638
Diluted .......................................... 25,813,606 25,348,353

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Dollars in thousands)

February 28, November 29,
2004 2003
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASSETS
Current assets:

Cash and cash investments ................ $ 18,150 $ 8,348
Accounts receivable, net ................. 123,152 127,546
Inventories .............................. 103,631 99,673
Other .................................... 21,551 21,835
-------- ---------
Total current assets .............. 266,484 257,402
Plant assets, net .............................. 129,660 129,572
Acquired intangibles, net ...................... 122,519 122,351
Pension assets ................................. 20,443 20,153
Other assets ................................... 9,259 8,759
-------- ---------
$548,365 $538,237
======== =========
LIABILITIES
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt $ 639 $ 674
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities . 98,272 102,322
Income taxes ............................. 8,067 8,377
-------- ---------
Total current liabilities 106,978 111,373
Long-term debt ................................. 18,414 16,913
Long-term pension liabilities .................. 8,661 7,813
Other liabilities .............................. 32,453 31,746
-------- ---------
166,506 167,845
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY ........................... 381,859 370,392
-------- ---------
$548,365 $538,237
======== =========

SUMMARY CASH FLOWS
(Dollars in thousands)

Three Months Ended
------------------
2004 2003
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Net earnings .................... $ 11,661 $ 9,596
Depreciation .................... 4,602 4,967
Amortization .................... 190 225
Changes in assets and liabilities (993) (1,570)
Other, net ...................... (653) -
-------- --------
Total provided (used) by
operating activities .. 14,807 13,218
-------- --------
FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Plant asset additions ........... (5,242) (3,017)
Other, net ...................... 1,407 7
-------- --------
Total provided (used) by
investing activities .. (3,835) (3,010)
-------- --------
FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from line of credit .... 1,500 6,250
Payments on line of credit ...... - (18,333)
Payments on long-term debt ...... (34) (181)
Cash dividends paid ............. (3,175) (3,052)
Other, net ...................... 297 162
-------- --------
Total provided (used) by
financing activities .. (1,412) (15,154)
-------- --------
Effect of exchange rate
changes on cash ............ 242 23
-------- --------
Change in Cash and
Cash Investments ............ $ 9,802 $ (4,923)
======== ========

CLARCOR 2004 UNAUDITED FIRST QUARTER RESULTS cont'd.

QUARTERLY INCOME STATEMENT DATA BY SEGMENT
(Dollars in thousands)

THREE MONTHS ENDED
-------------------------
FEBRUARY 28 MARCH 1
2004 2003
----------- ----------
NET SALES BY SEGMENT:

Engine/Mobile Filtration .......... $ 70,800 $ 66,776
Industrial/Environmental Filtration 88,962 90,369
Packaging ......................... 15,510 14,349
-------- --------
$175,272 $171,494
======== =========

OPERATING PROFIT BY SEGMENT:
Engine/Mobile Filtration .......... 15,510 14,349
Industrial/Environmental Filtration 3,252 2,373
Packaging ......................... 136 428
-------- --------
$ 17,813 $ 15,487
======== =========