Again today I’m building off some of the impressions that my friend, Rolf Gutknecht of LA Ads – A Marketing Agency had during his time at the recent ICCFA Convention in Tampa.  As mentioned in yesterday’s article, Rolf puts out a little paper titled “Insights” which included his impressions of the convention.

 

Today, I’m building off his impression where he states, “It seems like every national tradeshow that I attend I see more and more products related to cremation“.   He also said, “Exhibitor booths that offered urns, keepsakes, retorts, columbaria, etc. were present on every aisle. . “ . . and, “. . there’s a crazy amount of firms that sell some sort of cremation keepsake/urn product”.

 

If you are in the Death Care business I’m guessing that none of those statements would surprise you even if you didn’t attend the ICCFA Convention and saw this with your own eyes.  America is the “Land of Opportunity” and I’m guessing that many people see opportunity in cremation. . . here’s what a couple might say:

 

Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary — “I’m not trying to make friends, I’m trying to make money.”

or famous bank robber Willie Sutton when asked why he robbed banks — “Because that is where the money is”

 

So, what’s behind the growing number of businesses that are getting into some sort of cremation enterprise?  It’s pretty simple. . . it’s the “opportunity to make money”.

 

Here’s what we know. . . .according to Database Earth the United States had 2,912,402 deaths in 2023.  The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) estimates that 60.5% of United States dispositions were via cremation in 2023.  That would lead to a raw number of 1,762,003 cremations in 2023.

 

Let’s move forward to 2045 where Database Earth estimates the United States will have 3,979,600 deaths in that year.  Our same NFDA estimates that cremation will account for 81.4% of all United States dispositions in 2045.  That mathematical extrapolation would lead to a raw number of 3,239,000 cremation dispositions in 2045.

 

Not quite double of 2023’s numbers but an additional 84% increase for 2045 cremations over 2023’s number.  So, firms that deal in some level of cremation enterprise at this time. . . and those firms that want to, are gearing up to make their business one of the leaders and do really well as cremation explodes into 2045 and maybe beyond.

 

So, when you see those types of predictive numbers and the predictive disposition percentages it is easy to see why so many aisles at the trade shows are cremation oriented. . .they are following the “predictive” money.

 

Funeral Director Daily take:  I’m a realist and I see this movement coming and more than likely happening in this fashion.  However, I’ve also been around long enough to know this type of growth does not happen in a straight linear fashion and there is also the ability for a disrupter to come along at any time with a new and better idea that might take the public by storm.  For instance. . .

 

• At one time buggy whip manufacturers were increasing production as America was moving Westward. . . .and then along came Henry Ford and the automobile.

 

• And, there was John D. Rockefeller who monopolized the oil industry by sending kerosene Westward. . . until Edison invented the light bulb. . . .Luckily, Rockefeller turned his oil monopoly into gasoline for Ford’s automobiles. . .

 

• Finally, Alexander Graham Bell tried to sell his patent for the telephone to Western Union who surmised that people would not want something “ringing in their house”. . . . If Western Union had bought the patent, we might never have heard of AT&T (American Telephone & Telegraph).

 

So, I think the money is on betting on cremation, but what about Natural Organic Reduction or Green Burials or another “disrupter” that hasn’t even been thought about yet?  Only time will tell . . . . . . .

 

If you would like to learn more about LA Ads – A Marketing Agency click here.

 

More news from the world of Death Care:

• Young Chinese take up funeral professions.  Global Times
• Funeral plans still in demand, but are they safe?  Which?.  (Great Britain)
• I’m a Death Doula.  Phillip has one dying wish.  Newsweek
• Second dump site containing Las Vegas pet remains found in desert.  Video news story and print article.  KTNV – ABC News – Las Vegas (NV)

 

 

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