American Woodmark Corporation to Build New Manufacturing Facility in Allegany County, Maryland; Additional Manufacturing Capacity Being Added to Meet Customer Demand.

WINCHESTER, Va. -- American Woodmark Corporation (AWC) (NASDAQ: AMWD), a leading supplier of cabinetry to the new home construction and remodeling industry, today announced plans to build a new 250,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Allegany County, Md. The facility will be located in the newly developed Barton Business Park, and provide the additional manufacturing capacity needed to support the continued growth of the company.

The new plant will assemble wood cabinet components received from other AWC plants located within the company's growing manufacturing network. American Woodmark will invest $12 million in the plant's development, and begin shipping completed cabinets to customers located in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States as early as January 2005. Once the plant becomes fully operational, approximately 500 jobs will be created in the local community.

"The company selected Allegany County because the community offers an economically competitive environment, will provide a high-quality way of life for our employees and is strategically located," says Jake Gosa, President and CEO, American Woodmark Corporation. "The new site is purposely located near our existing manufacturing network, affording AWC the ability to maximize synergies with its existing operations in Virginia and West Virginia, and to more easily supply the growing Northeast and Midwest new construction and remodeling markets."

"This is a tremendous win for both Allegany County and the State of Maryland," says Governor Ehrlich. "American Woodmark is a well-respected and growing company, and we are extremely pleased they have chosen Allegany County, Md., as the site for their new facility. Their decision to expand here is a real testament to the quality of life, business climate and skilled workforce offered by the State and Allegany County."

American Woodmark Corporation, located in Winchester, Va., is the third largest manufacturer of kitchen cabinets in the United States and Canada. Offering more than 150 cabinet lines in a wide variety of designs, materials and finishes, American Woodmark products are sold through a network of dealers and distributors and directly to home centers and major builders. The company currently operates 14 manufacturing facilities in Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as various service centers across the country. American Woodmark shares are traded on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol "AMWD." To find out more about American Woodmark, and view its vast array of cabinet styles, visit its Web site at www.americanwoodmark.com.