Batesville. Acutally its “Batesville Caskets Company, a Hillenbrand Industry.” But many funeral directors simply refer to it as the Big B.
If you have ever wondered where your local funeral homes get their caskets, there is a very good chance that they come from one of the three biggest casket manufacturers…Batesville, Aurora, or York. Batesville is by far the biggest company. They command quite a market share of the industry. I remember hearing a while ago that 6 out of 10 burials in the United States were buried in a Batesville casket but I haven’t been able to find anything to substantiate that, so don’t quote me on it.
I have to say that they make a really good casket. Their wood caskets are very solid and the metal units always have a perfect paint and weld job. Why is this important? I never said it was, but I have seen at a lot of caskets and so I notice the differences. There is a new trend with the casket wholesalers to import units from China, but there is no comparison in quality. Lets just say, my family will be buried in a Batesville.
Behold two of my favorite Batesville Caskets. The wood is the Pembroke Cherry. It is solid cherry wood that is polished to a high shine. There is also a decorative gold line around the lid of the casket that gives the unit a lot character. The metal casket is referred to as the Primrose. This casket can actually come in a couple different metals including bronze, copper and steel. This is casket is always one of the most sold caskets at every funeral home I have worked at. Of course, it is a little more popular with ladies…I don’t recall ever burying a man in it.
I could fill pages talking about Batesville. Their manufacturing plant is awesome. Their inventory system is awesome. Their distribution network is awesome. I feel kind of bad that I am on the Batesville “soapbox” right now, but don’t worry, I’ll talk about the other casket companies in due time. In fact, my next featured is going to be an Aurora.
Finally, in case you were wondering why the heck any of this matters, I answer you with a direct quote from the official Batesville.com homepage: “Because every family deserves a Batesville”
Hey John….nice blog. Just refound it. Will be checking back often for your comments.
Mark
That primrose one is beautiful!! I would not mind resting for eternity in that! Really interesting, keep the info coming!
I do agree with your thoughts on Batesville Caskets, of course, as to the quality and beauty. It is funny the two you have chosen as favorites are the same two I have used for my family members.
The Primrose Casket was used for my two grandmothers and a great-grandmother. Pink was the favorite color of these ladies and it was only fitting they spent eternity in this model. This Primrose has been in the Batesville line so many years, it is almost as if it would even be classified as a “vintage design”, yet, as you know, it is most probably one of their best selling editions.
I chose the Batesville Pembroke Cherry for my own father when he passed in 1997. The striking beauty of this casket is astonishing as any high end piece of furniture. My father, a banker, deserved this fitting tribute to him, and nothing seemed to compare at the time to represent him any better. My own mother, recently passing, is now resting eternity in the Pembroke Cherry. Her lifetime career of being a commercial and residential interior designer, plus her love of cherry and mahogany furniture made the decision easy to choose the perfect casket for her. My own determination for my mother was that she would be sent away in the same deserving manner as my dad, and she was…….
Sincerely,
Tim
More posts, please! I enjoy this blog and I am a funeral services student in Seattle.