September 2020

Page B9 SEPTEMBER 2020 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on B Vandor Centralizes Wood Operations into Richmond, Indiana Plant said Passages president Darren Crouch. A biodegradable body bag option has long been needed in the death care profession. Year after year, families have said they wanted greener, more envi- ronmentally-friendly end-of-life options. 54 per- cent of families in 2019 said they were interest- ed in greener funeral options, according to the 2019 NFDA Consumer Awareness and Preferenc- es Study. Passages’ is working with funeral homes throughout the country to update their offerings to reflect the preferences of current families. Passages International, Inc. has led the green sec- tor of the funeral industry for 20 years, with the largest selection of innovative, environmentally friendly urns, caskets, and memorial products. For more information on green funerals and their ben- efits, visit www.aGreenerFuneral.org. For more in- formation on Passages products or Fair Trade visit www.PassagesInternational.com. Passages International Now Offers Biodegradable Body Bags ALBUQUERQUE,NM— Pas- sages International is extend- ing its line of green environ- mentally-friendly products with new biodegradable body bags. Passages’ now offers two body bags, one with a zipper and handles and one with a double- sided tape closure. Both bio- degradable bags are more en- vironmentally-friendly than traditional body bags and are suitable for cremation. The biodegradable body bag with handles is made with a biodegradable PEVA (polyeth- ylene vinyl acetate) material. The material is PVC-free, non- chlorinated, odorless, and con- tains antimicrobial properties. This body bag has been weight tested to 440 pounds and is suitable for removals. Passages’ second biodegrad- able body bag is designed for more traumatic deaths. It’s made of PVA (Polyvinyl Ac- etate) and features a double- sided tape closure. This bag is designed to be used in conjunc- tion with a shroud or a wicker (non-sealed) casket for burial or cremation. Both bags perfectly comple- ment Passages’ green product offerings, including our new- ly released Bamboo Crema- tion Container and Four-Point Bamboo Casket. As with all our products, we ensure the highest quality with our body bags. “Just as in every other as- pect of our economy, consum- ers expect greener alternatives, our new body bags allow fu- neral homes to accomplish the same results, but with a small- er environmental impact,” RICHMOND,IN— Vandor Corporation has announced that its Funeral Products Division will be centralizing production of its hardwood caskets to their Richmond, IN plant. As a result of this action, the CJ Boots hard- wood caskets currently being manufactured in Anderson, IN will move to Richmond, IN. “This move allows us to use our modern, semi-automat- ed hardwood assembly operation to manufacture all our hardwood caskets, including the high-quality hardwood caskets in the CJ Boots line,” stated Gerald Davis, presi- dent of Vandor Corporation. As part of this move, a few low volume specialty caskets in the CJ Boots product line will be eliminated. The balance of the caskets in the product line will receive improvements, in- cluding updates to some of the base and lid profiles as well as operational efficiencies created by consolidating some exte- rior colors and handle options. The models in the CJ Boots product line will also realize production and distribution ef- ficiencies, since the caskets will be manufactured and ware- housed with other Vandor products, including Starmark Cremation Products and cloth-covered Elderlite models. “In a time where many caskets are imported from Chi- na, Mexico, and Canada, we firmly believe that our cus- tomers want and appreciate caskets that are proudly la- beled “Made in the USA,” added Davis. “To help ensure that we remain a viable domestic supplier and keep pro- duction costs down, we will continue to look for ways, such as this consolidation, to become even more efficient, while not sacrificing quality.” CJ Boots employees in Anderson have been offered the opportunity to transfer to the Richmond plant. Vandor is committed to doing everything necessary to take care of employees and customers during this transition. Vandor Corporation manufactures products for a wide variety of public and private sector companies. Vandor Corporation’s Funeral Products Division manufactures solid wood, wood veneer, and cloth-covered burial and cremation products marketed under the Starmark® Cre- mation Products and Vision Casket brands as well as hand-crafted, premium solid wood caskets under the C.J. Boots brand in their plant in Richmond, IN. For more information, visit www.vandorcorp.com. 1215 E. Broadway • Morrilton, AR 72110 • 501.477.2229 • www.rosewoodclassiccoach.com Princess Grand O’Vale “Your Brand Icon Awaits” Grand Vista Financing Available Competitive Rates • Simple Terms • Low Monthly Payments • Fast Approval