No. June 2006

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Plastic Vault Fails Under Testing NCB VA Challenges Vault Strength Claims

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National Concrete Burial Vault Association (NCBVA) has contested he North Carolina–based Goria

Corporation's claim that its EonianTm plastic vault is five times stronger than the minimum standards set by the association for concrete burial vaults.

In a letter to company President Pierre Goria, the association explained that its independent center-point load testing of the Eonian plastic vault showed initial deflection at pressure as low as 1,000 psf.

The test also revealed that complete vault destruction occurred at well under the 5,000 psf minimum set by NCBVA for concrete vaults.

The Goria Corporation had claimed that a center-point load test—performed in its own plant without an NCB VA official on site—proved its own selected plastic burial vault could withstand 28,100 psf without failure or seal breakage.

In addition, earlier Goria marketing communications had stated that because

a plastic liner added to a concrete burial vault's strength, a vault made wholly of plastic had to be stronger.

"We recognize that we are representing the concrete burial vault industry against a potentially competitive product," said Darren Baxter, NCBVA's 2006 president. "We therefore strived to offer an unbiased test that gave Goria ample opportunity to choose the testing

Continued on page 12

At a nationally recognized structural testing laborary, this photo shows the Goria plastic vault under approximately 2400 psf

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Index of Advertisers

American Brilliance, Inc. 17 American Cemetery Supplies, Inc. 11 Axis Corporation 14 Crescent Bronze Powder Co. 7 D & C Supply Co., Inc. 7 Doric Inc. 21 Edgmont Metallic Pigment Co. 21 Holland Supply Inc. 15 Long Machine Co. 16 Matthews Cremation 2 Mixer Systems 18 Plastic Plaque, Inc. 6 Romix Chemical & Brush 8 Trigard Vaults

10 W. C. Cardinal

21 Wilbert, Inc. 22

June 2006 NCB VA BULLETIN

3

Estate Planning's Golden Rule: Treat All Your Children Equally

By J. Scott Calkins, Esq. NCBVA Counsel

n reviewing a recent publication from the American Bar Association, this subject caught my attention, and I thought it would be of interest to NCBVA members. For those of you who have more than one child, there is

one paramount rule that should govern estate-planning decisions. The article states and I concur: Barring unusual circumstances, all children should be treated equally. Notwithstanding the seemingly self-evident nature of this rule, many people often inadvertently or intentionally, violate it.

Consider these common cases where parents inadvertently violate the rule. Parents make significant gifts or bequests to grandchildren in instances where one child has one offspring and another child has three offspring. Is it fair that the child with fewer children be financially penalized? Another example is parents who select only one of their children to be a fiduciary (i.e., executor or trustee). They may think this decision makes sense because of issues related to geographical proximity and aptitude. Yet, what these parents overlook is that the selected child will be privy to certain information that his siblings will not and will also be entitled to remuneration for his services rendered that will, in likelihood, be directly or indirectly be borne by his or her siblings.

Other times parents intentionally treat their children unequally. Perhaps one child is struggling financially while another child is doing well. Parents sometimes perceive their role to be the great "equalizers" after death. Thus, they decide to leave two-thirds of their estate to struggling offspring and one-third of the estate to the more financially secure. Bequests of this nature will rarely foster closer sibling relationships.

When parents die, underlying sibling rivalries and jealousies can surface. Parents who make unequal gifts and bequests exacerbate a tenuous situation.

The advice from estate planning experts is that parents should go to great lengths to equalize inheritances even if it costs parents more transfer tax dollars or it creates a somewhat unwieldy situation simply because executors live in different parts of the country.

If there are countervailing reasons that necessitate parents violating this "Golden Rule of Estate Planning," they should, in the clearest terms possible while still alive, explain to their children why they chose a particular course of action. (A written explanation that accompanies a parent's will often falls far short of the mark, according to experts.)

According to the article, in the end, what parents leave their children in terms of material possessions is usually of fleeting value. Adherence to the "Golden Rule," however, offers parents a lasting opportunity to avoid interfamilial friction.

National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc. 195 Wekiva Springs Rd., Suite 200

Longwood, Florida 32779 http://www.ncbva.org

(800) 538-1423 Fax: (407) 774-6751

President Darren Baxter

Baxter Burial Vault Service Cincinnati, OH

President -Elect Martin Begun

American Vault & Concrete Products Corp. Detroit, MI

Secretary/Treasurer Todd Swihart

Saginaw Wilbert Vault Corp. Saginaw, MI

Immediate Past President Graham MacLeod

Detroit Wilbert Vault Co. Detroit, MI

Directors

Warren Chandler Master Grave Service, Inc.

Bogart, GA

Michael Crummitt Crummitt & Son Vault Co.

Martins Ferry, OH

James Curran Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc.

Forest Park, IL

Linda Darby-Sempsrott Trigard Vaults / Greenwood Plastics

Danville, IL

Doug Evans Carolina Doric, Inc.

Florence, SC

Stephen Hatfield Hicks Industries, Inc.

Mulberry, FL

Hubert McQuestion Lakeshore Burial Vault Co.

Brookfield, WI

Jerry Russell Southern Ohio Vault Co.

Portsmouth, OH

Scott Watts Watts Vault & Monument Co.

Des Moines, IA

Executive Director Thomas A. Monahan, CAE

Certified Association Management Co. Longwood, FL

Legal Counsel J. Scott Calkins, Esq

Standing in front of their Chelmsford plant are (from left) Jeff with Bongo, Jerry and his wife Sheila, Rob Hardy

Both Hardy Doric's business and manufacturing plant have improved over the years. Shown here: the plant, some time around 1933 (left) and the recently expanded plant in 2006 (right) —nearly doubled in size.

4 NCBVA BULLETIN June 2006

Hardy Doric 22 Progress Ave. Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone 978-250-1113 www.hardydoric.com

Hardy Doric

Company That Provides Noteworthy Service By Sylvia Heidemann NCBVA Staff Writer

jerry Hardy, owner of Hardy Doric in Chelmsford, MA, is a member of a small but noteworthy group of individuals in the burial vault industry. When his company delivers a burial vault for a military funeral, Jerry is often asked to bring along

his trumpet and play "Taps." He does this service gladly for the bereaved family. At a recent funeral, a Navy captain asked him if he would stand on a hillside overlooking the gravesite and "echo" the captain's notes. Jerry recalls that the experience was very moving, and many people present at the funeral tearfully thanked him afterwards for the extra tribute paid to their family member and friend.

Jerry began playing the trumpet at age 50 when his wife Sheila gave him one as a gift and encouraged him to take lessons. Jerry

really took to the instrument, and today, he's a member of a 60-piece concert band and an 18-piece jazz band. Especially in the summers, the jazz band keeps him very busy with outdoor concerts in the area. At Christmastime, he arranges for the large concert band to accompany his church choir for a special performance, and nearly every Sunday morning, you can find Jerry in church, playing his trumpet along with the hymns sung by the congregation.

A Doric franchisee, Jerry received the Directors Award from Doric in 1994. They surprised him with a new "C" trumpet. (He is currently secretary/treasurer of Doric Products.)

Why a "C" trumpet? As Jerry explains, "For most trumpets, B flat is the standard. Church organs and pianos are basically 'C' key instruments, so when you play along with them, you often have to do a lot of transposing. That's all right for professional musicians

Jerry's wife Sheila gave him a trumpet as a gift when he turned 50 and encouraged him to take lessons. Today, Jerry plays in a 60-piece concert band and an 18-piece jazz band.

"In addition," Jerry continues, "Jerry Brown and I used to go to Washington a lot on behalf of the NCBVA – particularly to call on the Veteran Affairs Committee – and NCBVA would have success where individual franchise operations would fail, because we represented the entire industry."

Whatever Jerry Hardy does – managing his company, serving on the Doric Board, or playing his trumpet, he does it with noteworthy enthusiasm.

June 2006 NCBVA BULLETIN 5

Amok

who've been playing since they were 10 or so, but for me, r Itransposing can be hard work. Having a 'C' trumpet makes the job

easier."

Hardy Doric— A Family Business for 76 Years As with many companies in the burial vault industry, Hardy Doric is a family business. It was started by Jerry's father in Lowell, MA more than 76 years ago. Jerry, a native Chelmsford resident, graduated from Northeastern University in 1959 with a degree in business management. Immediately following graduation, he served as 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. At the age of 23, Jerry took over management of Hardy Vault Co. when his father suffered a debilitating stroke.

Currently, the company serves a population area with a radius of about 45 miles, and has eight employees. Jerry's wife Sheila is the secretary, their son Jeffrey is head of marketing and sales, and their son Robert is head of operations. Individualism and excellence in service runs in the family. Jeffrey, who's been working on introducing new products, was named "Man of the Year" in 2004 by the Chelmsford Business Association.

Hardy Doric moved from its location in Lowell in 1994 to its current location in Chelmsford. Over the past year, the company has nearly doubled its plant size in expectation of new business to come from an expanded product line. With the increase in cremations, the company offers a wide variety of cremation urns

401"ynd niche towers, in addition to its vault line. Through Trigard, Hardy Doric also provides a line of bronze memorials for people and pets.

"We have good employees," says Jerry, "and we always try to put ourselves in the position of the bereaved family and comfort them as much as possible. For example, if there's an unexpected snowstorm on the day of a funeral, we contact the funeral director to see if they want tents at the gravesite. We try to understand the needs of the funeral directors."

Hardy Doric produces about 2,000 burial vaults a year. The company does not offer cremation services, however. "In the State of Massachusetts," says Jerry, "you have to have at least 20 acres in order to build a crematory. That's a lot of expensive real estate."

As far as challenges to the industry, Jerry concedes that marketing is extremely different from what it used to be 20 years ago. Their primary customers are funeral directors and cemeteries. In Massachusetts, cemeteries are either municipal or church-owned, and each has its own products, which makes for a unique selling challenge.

Straight Talk— Promote NCBVA Certification Program Everyone who knows Jerry knows that he is enthusiastic and a straight talker; he doesn't mince words. When it comes to the NCBVA, Jerry believes strongly in the support it provides members of industry. He served on the NCBVA Board of Governors for several

Onyears and was President of NCBVA in 1974. He's been a member for – 43 years and served as executive director from 1987 to 1992. Jerry is

pleased to be able to promote NCBVA's plant certification program, which is highlighted on the Hardy Doric Web site. (To quote from the "products" page: The NCBVA tests to industry standards for concrete and mix design, load, cure, plant safety, government compliance and much more. Every Doric vault licensee operates an NCBVA certified plant, meeting or surpassing industry standards.) This effectively does double duty: it promotes the NCBVA while explaining to consumers the importance of a well-constructed burial vault that is built to exacting industry standards.

"As an umbrella organization that includes the franchisers and the individual manufacturing plants, the NCBVA can do things for the benefit of the entire industry that no one can do alone. Over the years, through the NCBVA we've made so many friends," says Jerry, "and it's amazing how you draw on each other and actually reward each other. I'm convinced that our businesses would struggle if we didn't have these great relationships."

TT, PLASTIC LAQUE

Since 1948

1635 Poplar St P.O. Box 610964

Port Huron, MI 48059

Vault Decoration Specialists tottesing otos 000

jtotattle Doe/ dies vow ,40te5 e

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Celebrating 57 Years of Service Call for Brochure

Phone: 800-875-9591 or 810-982-9591 Fax: 810-982-1182

6

NCBVA BULLETIN

June 2006

Industry News and Notes Batesville Wins Award Batesville Casket Company has earned an award for its mobile customer service program — the Honoring Lives Tour. The program features two mobile tour centers that travel the country, making stops in cities and towns throughout North America. It focuses on solutions to several challenges facing funeral service today — the growth in cremation as a means of final disposition, the increase in consumer demand for personalization, the need for larger products that address the obesity issue, the continued use of technology and the Internet by consumers, and the escalating rise in the costs of running a business. To date, the two tour centers have made stops in more than 100 cities and hosted more than 7000 funeral professionals. The silver award was presented by Event Marketer Magazine.

2006 Industry Calendar

July 21-26

ICFA University University of Memphis Memphis, TN

August 6-11 NFD&MA 69th Annual Convention & Exposition Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel Myrtle Beach, SC

August 15-18

Cremation Assn. of North America Royal Pacific Resort Orlando, FL

October 1-6

Selected Independent Funeral Homes Wynn Las Vegas Hotel Las Vegas, NV

October 15-18

National Funeral Directors Assn. 2006 Convention & Expo Pennsylvania Convention Center Philadelphia, PA

2007 January 19-22

Monument Builders of N. America 98th Annual Convention and Monument Industry Show Hyatt Regency Cincinnati and Cingery Convention Center Cincinnati, OH

March 20-23

Int'l Cemetery & Funeral Association Annual Convention & Exposition Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino Las Vegas, NV

Cardinal Marks 15 Years '■wa, W. C. Cardinal, Inc., Cadiz, Ohio, manufacturer in the storage rack industry, is celebrating its 15 years in business. Cardinal's products include Roll Form and Structural Rack, which includes Drive In/Drive Thru, Keystone and Teardrop Selective Pallet Rack, Push-back, and Pallet flow racks. The number-one choice for steel service centers is Cardinal's Premium Cantilever Rack that features pins that lock the tapered arms in place, preventing movement during loading and unloading. "Cus-tomers should never have to weld the arms in place to avoid slippages," maintains Dave Johnstone, National Sales Manager. Cardinal's Premium Cantile-ver Rack System have many advantages for handling the heavy loads. Columns are manufactured from American-made high-strength steel. Columns are pre-punched on both sides for conversion from single-to-double-sided units.

* * *

Share your company news. Send an e-mail to jan@camco.biz.

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Fax: 412-221-9206

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z

June 2006 NCBVA BULLETIN

7

A Milwaukee paint expert and his partner are hoping that with nearly six million registered motorcycles in the U.S. and cremation rates on the rise, there's a good market for their new product — a special urn for the "last ride."

Jim Moritz and his partner Ron Winkler 's new company, Motorcycle Memorials, offers custom-painted urns that replicate motorcycle gas tanks. Buyers can choose a custom paint job that duplicates the look of the deceased person's bike, or they can pick a design that memorializes another aspect of the person's life: military service or a law enforcement career. More than a dozen funeral homes are already carrying the product

Moritz spends his days developing new paints for a large Milwaukee company and his free time doing custom paint jobs on motorcycles. He is not a biker himself, but he's been painting bikes for customers since he was 12. He made his first gas tank urn from a real tank that he bought at a junkyard about eight years ago. He made a gift of it to the family of a deceased biker whose bike he had painted.

The partners aren't the first to market a motorcycle gas tank urn. There's at least one other company that makes one, and another that offers a final resting place inside a motorcycle engine block.

But Moritz and Winkler believe that their ability to do custom work and the growing interest in cremation across the country add up to a big opportunity for them to make a living offering a final alternative to those who live to ride. They saw the chance to turn this into a business because they knew bikers tend to celebrate their passion for riding, even in death. They patented the urn design last fall, and they launched a Web site. They plan to expand marketing beyond funeral homes by taking the gas tank urns to biker rallies and events.

For the man who doesn't ride alone, there's enough room inside for him to take his biker chick along for eternity. The urns range in price from $750 to $1,500.

Memorials Are Fit For Hog Heaven Custom-painted urns reflect motorcycle riders' free spirit

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Use on Aluminum, Steel. Plywood. and Fiberglass

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RoMix CHEMICAL and BRUSH INC.

CUSTOM FORMULATORS MANUFACTURING CHEMIST

NCBVA BULLETIN

Oncompromisal service. Concrete solutions."'

Rookie of the Year award winner, Christine Clementz (left) joins fellow award winners David Moore, Todd Dean, and Vickie Zimmerman

Wilbert Awards Top Salespeople And Wins Honors For Itself

Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. presented seven top sales performance awards at its 2006 National Sales Seminar in Savannah, Georgia. Two individuals and one Wilbert licensee%sj received the Outstanding Sales Award, which distinguishes high achievement in Wilbert sales growth. The winners were Todd Dean, Richards-Wilbert, Inc., Hagerstown, Maryland; Vickie Zimmerman, Arnold Wilbert Vault Corporation, Goldsboro, North Carolina; and Whitherbee & Whalen, Inc., Canton, New York.

Distinction for Cremation Sales Excellence was awarded to three Wilbert representatives (two as a team) and one business: David Reichle and David Moore, American Wilbert Vault Corp., Forest Park, Illinois; Christine Clementz, Florida Wilbert, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida; and Akron Concrete Products, Inc., Akron, Indiana.

Ms. Clementz of Florida Wilbert also earned the Rookie of the Year award for achieving rapid sales growth in central and northeastern Florida.

Graphic Designs Take Honors Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. was recently honored with five 2006 American Inhouse Design Awards by the editors of Graphic Design USA magazine.

Based on the theme "Recognizing the Creative Within," the competition acknowledged outstanding work by inspired inhouse graphic designers and design teams within corporations, media companies, non-profits, and educational and government institutions. Of the nearly 3,500 entries submitted for the contest, fewer than one in five received recognition.

Wilbert's five awards were given for the Cremation Choices® Catalog 2006-2007, the Karine Bouchard SeriesTM urn insert cards, the Davis Whitehall SeriesTM Catalog, the Wilbert Honor CollectionTM logo, and the Corrugated ChoicesTM logo.

The winning entries will also be included in Graphic Design USA's Inhouse Design Awards Annual, which will be published in July.

8

-t

Walker

R1CHARDU. 4( TR 16A-1-r3

IICSARPIr

-

DORIC IIIIIme

Trigard's Linda Darby-Sempsrott (far left) and Blake Swinford (far right) present CCMS student Laura Paine with a scholarship, pictured here with her instructor.

June 2006

NCBVA BULLETIN 9

Walker Named to Post at Doric Doric Products, Inc. has announced the addition of Tim Walker as Director of Dealer Development and Sales. A licensed funeral director with 35 years of experience, Walker managed a 300-call funeral home in 1996. He then moved to Hicks Industries, a Doric licensee, where he was involved in every aspect of the burial vault business.

In his new position, Walker will take information gleaned from Doric dealers, add in his own experiences in the industry, and share that information with other dealers to help grow their business. He will also be available to conduct seminars and continuing education workshops as well as assist with marketing issues.

Trigard Introduces New Series With Patented Color Technique To memorialize those who have served our country, Trigard has introduced the Patriot Urn, a beautiful piece of artwork with an elegantly folded flag adorning the top. Trigard En-graved Bronze's Brilliant ImpressionsTm Series combines color along with its patented en-graving process to enhance the Patriot Urn. An engraved bronze plate with vivid colors of red, white and blue is attached to the front of the unit.

The Brilliant ImpressionsTM Series was unveiled at the ICFA Convention in Las Vegas. In addition to its use on bronze medallions and urns, this is a new technology that can add

color to a 3-D relief image to replicate a loved one's photograph in bronze. Every important detail is captured, from the exact

color of the hair to that perfect shade of lipstick. Customers can choose from a full-tone color to a halftone color or also to use selective color on specific areas of a memorial.

The Brilliant Impressions TM Gallery Series also offers inspirational scenes from nationally known artists to add to a me-morial or urn. These peaceful and serene images make beautiful backdrops to any me-morial and are avail-able in no relief and re-lief.

Scholarships Presented Trigard recently vis-

ited the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in Cincinnati, OH, and presented a $250 scholarship to CCMS student Laura Paine. Another scholarship winner was Ford Conley from Carl Sandburg College of Galesburg, IL. Trigard continually awards a Trigard Scholarship to deserving students who are chosen

^based on financial need, scholastic aptitude, and knowledge of the burial vault industry. Trigard's Linda Darby-Sempsrott and Blake Swinford visit many mortuary sciences schools through-out the year and talk about the future of the of the death care industry when presenting these scholarships.

■■•■■,.

40"

10 NCBVA BULLETIN June 2006

AF Made with Trigard's exclusively engineered

concrete, the Aegean Ultra weighs less than 45 His!

ULTRA LIGHT! Weighs approximately one third of the regular concrete Aegean.

ULTRA STRONG! Surpasses the NCBVA standards for strength.

ULTRA EASY! No heavy equipment needed for setting

ULTRA VERSATILE! Can be modified with metal accents of stainless steel, bronze & copper

Easily converts to an Honor Series.

ULERA MOBILE! Ships complete to your door

Evolution Through Innovation 3901 North Vermilion • Danville, Minois 1-800-637-1992 • www.trigard.corn

.01.11M,

June 2006

NCBVA BULLETIN

11

American Cemetery Supplies, Inc. 1-800-515-0400 Fax (757) 488-1589

Your Total Vault Supplier High Quality • Low Prices

Manufacturer of: Tents • Grass • Chair Covers • Tarps

Drapes • Lowering Devices Casket Roller Bars

Casket Stands and Cremation Stands and many other items

Distributor of: Flags • Chairs

Frigid Lowering Devices

Providing Solutions for the Burial Vault Industry.... TraxPlusTM will protect the cemetery lawn

from damage by eliminating ruts and reseeding.

TraxPlusTM is made from a composite fiberglass material

that is strong enough to "bridge" over soft ground areas.

Call for more information.

Mention this ad and receive Protect Your Cemetery Lawns with Portable additional discounting off your order

Roadway Systems Composite Mats

of TraxPlusTM. Starting at $118 each.

(TL's structural engineers prepare for initial pressure test

Continued from page I

12

NCBVA BULLETIN

June 2006

Vault is placed in position for testing

About CTL: CTLGroup, http://www.ctlgroup.com , is headquartered in Skokie, Illinois, with offices in the Mid-Atlantic (Columbia, Maryland) and New England (Dover, New Hampshire) areas. CTL is an internationally recognized firm providing engineering and scientific services to construction and related industries. CTLGroup provides a unique blend of consulting, testing, and research services. Its staff of 130 includes experienced professionals from the Oelds of civil, structura l and mechanical engineering, geology, chemistry, ceramics and materials science. Their ability to deliver for clients on all these elements is what makes CTLGroup an industry leader.

company, review the setup, and observe the te; "Goria officials declined such participatioi

failed." NCBVA's independent tests were perform

presence of NCBVA officials under laborat( Laboratories (CTLGroup), a nationally r

A copy of the complete test report can cot Library.From the pull-down menu, select ■%..ialt.

"Our primary focus is not on the Goria Corp added, "but rather on deceased loved ones' fam outperforms concrete only to learn later that th4 sustaining heavy weight."

NCBVA has asked the Goria Corporation to ( that its plastic burial vault meets or exceeds NC requested that the same retraction be expressed

More pressure is added

'Iosetip shows lilt at approximately 4000 psi.

NCBVA BULLETIN 13 June 2006

Measurements taken at approximately 1500 psf.

A structural engineer takes measurements each time pressure is increased

Engineers begin to add pressure to vault lid

About NCBVA: The National Concrete Burial Vault Association (NCBVA) was chartered in 1930 as a voluntary nonprofit organization of concrete burial vault manufacturers throughout the United States and Canada. As of January, 2006, it consisted of approximately 350 independently owned and operated concrete burial vault companies. The purpose of the organization is to provide a unified voice for the concrete burial vault industry regardless of product affiliation, brand recognition or location. Every major brand affiliation of concrete vault manufacturer is represented as a member of the organization. As an association, the NCBVA represents groups that provide in excess of 70 percent of all outer burial receptacles interred within the boundaries of its membership.

Earl Brutsche inspects cross section of lid

g. Lnd the Eonian plastic vault consequently

by registered structural engineers in the conditions at Construction Technology

)gnized structural testing laboratory. atr•f.ncbva.org . Click on the NCB VA

ult ...Report." tion's plastic burial vault sales," Baxter :s who might accept that plastic roduct failed once the gravesite began

se and desist immediately from claims VA standards. The association has also a letter to funeral profession media.

THE LOGAN VAULT HANDLER By Axis Corporation

14 NCBVA BULLETIN

June 2006

PROVIDING SERVICE AND REALIBILTY FOR OVER 40 YEARS

THE LOGAN VAULT HANDLERS ARE MANUFACTURED WITH ONLY NEW BRAND NAME PARTS--NOT USED OR RE-MANUFACTURED. This gives you

better dependability and longer life of your Handler. OUR NEW 3A TON AXLE is manufactured narrower than the standard 3/4 ton truck axle to allow for more maneuverability in the Cemetery.

The Logan Vault Handler can handle both straight and cross grave settings. The Logan is equipped with hydraulic variable speed Forward and Reverse, also a High and Low range

gearbox STANDARD,

STRENGTH IS NOT IN THE STEEL ALONE IN A VAULT HANDLER; IT IS IN THE DESIGN The Logan was designed to withstand the stress of a heavy load and yet light enough not to tear up turf in the

Cemetery. The Logan was designed over 40 years ago and has seen many improvements in maneuverability and efficiency. The Logan Vault Handler is designed to give you optimum power using reliable parts and

durable construction. It has been tested, beaten, used and abused for over 40 years. The Logan always was and still is the benchmark of Vault Handling equipment, And that is why we are the

Standard of the Industry CALL US TODAY FOR OPTIONS, PRICING OR A FREE VIDEO TAPE

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••■••••

Holland Oval Tents

Holland SUPPLY INC.

The Company that Listens. 1326 Lincoln Ave. • Holland, MI 49423 Phone 616-396-4678 • 1-800-527-8818 • FAX 616-396-9543 WWW.HOLLANDSUPPLYINC.COM salesghollandsupplyinc.com

We would like to thank the hundreds of vault dealers who have made Holland their supplier of choice. We value your business

June 2006

BULLEI1IN 15

HOLLAND SUPPLY, INC. 1-800-527-8818

Serving the Burial Vault Industry since 1962

Holland manufactures a complete line of graveside set up equipment. Our commitment is to offer you "The Best Value on the Market."

Holland 15' x 15' & 15' x 20' Tents

*Tent frame fittings guaranteed for life. Strongest aluminum frames in the industry.

*Tent peak and corners with 4 layers of reinforcement. * Straps & hooks with 3 layers of reinforcement. " Tops made to fit your frame.

* Holland Supply now manufactures a complete line of oval tops, frames and parts.

" Interchangeable with Steril tops, frames and parts. * Same quality and experience you've come to

expect from Holland Supply.

Call for your Vault Dealer SALE PRICES on these and all our setup products.

Best prices on Frigid devices. Device straps in all sizes. No-fray binding on our grass.

Excellent Quality + Unsurpassed Service + Aggressive Prices = Better Value

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Brings 20 Years of Experience in

Supplying Decorative Metallic Pigments

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Burial Vault Industries.

Hi-Gloss Vault Powders

Antique Powders

Solvent-Base Bronzing Liquids

Water-Base Bronzing Liquids

One-Part Ready-Mix Coatings

Water-Base Top/Base Coats

Fast personal Service

Dependable Quality

SERVICING ALL OF THE U.S. AND CANADA

AmericanBrilliance, Inc.

Give us a chance to serve you and build a long standing relationship

610 * 725 * 1660 3 Pennsylvania Avenue • Malvern, Pennsylvania

16

NCBVA BULLETIN

June 2006

NCBVA President Darren Baxter (right) spends some time with Mike Butler of Hastings, NE representing the Inter-national Order of the Golden Rule (OGR) at the recent meeting of the Funeral and Memorial Information Council (FAMIC) in Chicago. Butler is president of FAMIC, which is comprised of nine trade associations in the funeral industry.

VA Opens Two New Cemeteries In A Major Expansion Effort Georgia National Cemetery became the nation's newest veterans cemetery when the facility had its first burials in April. The 775-acre site is located approximately 40 miles north of Atlanta. Nearly 400,000 veterans and their families live within the service radius of the national cemetery. The complete 110-acre initial construction project calls for 17,200 full-casket gravesites, 12,000 pre-placed crypts, a 3,000-unit columbarium, 765 sites for in-ground cremated remains and a scattering garden for cremated remains. Phase-one construction is scheduled for completion in July 2007.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) also announced the selection of a property near Sarasota for a new national cemetery in west central Florida. At least 378,000 veterans live within 75 miles of this site. The cemetery is anticipated to open for burials between late 2008 and mid-2009.

The VA is in the midst of the largest cemetery expansion since the Civil War, now operating 123 national cemeteries in 39 states and Puerto Rico and 33 soldiers' lots and monument sites. More than three million Americans, including veterans of every war and conflict — from the Revolutionary War to the Global War on Terror — are buried in VA's national cemeteries. The total acreage of all the VA cemeteries combined is more than 16,000 acres.

June 2006

NCBVA BULLETIN 17

Long

Machine

Company THE VAULT INDUSTRY'S PREMIER VAULT TRAILER

BUILT TO ACCOMMODATE

YOUR NEEDS

Our standard VAULT-MASTER can perform your entire vault handling jobs.

OFF LOADING VAULTS FROM TRUCKS

SETTING VAULTS STRAIGHT OR CROSSWAYS

DISINTERMENTS

OPERATING ON STEEP TERRAIN. (Three point hydraulic leveling).

You can do it all with a ONE—MAN OPERATION

WE ALSO OFFER A FIXED BOOM UNIT WITH ALL THE FEATURES OF OUR STANDARD UNIT.

A LARGE SELECTION OF OPTIONS ARE AVAILABE ON ALL OUR UNITS.

ALL OUR UNITS CAN BE BUILT TO

ACCOMMODATE OVERSIZED VAULTS.

LET US CUSTOM BUILD YOUR NEXT VAULT TRAILER

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: DON OR BRYAN LONG

Long Machine Company 519 N. Main Ave Maiden, NC 28650-1123

Phone: 828-428-2648 Fax: 828-428-8606 info@longmachineco.com

www.longmachineco.com

Designed for

Porto iiiance Profitability

Member

Mixer Systems, Inc. 190 Simmons Avenue • P.O. Box 10 • Pewaukee, WI 53072-0010

Phone: (262) 691-3100 • Fax: (262) 691-3184 email: infoamixersystems.com • www.mixersystems.com

Mixer Systems Econobatch plant is: Fume - wide range of component choices and configurations to fit your EXACT need.

Accurate & COMMON' — state-of-the-art load cells and computerized control means no more rejected batches.

LOIN MOWN= — few moving or mechanical parts to wear out and key parts are accessible for ease of service. Also, Mixer offers single-source responsibility. We design, manufacture and service all plant components and back them with a one-year product warranty.

To build your perfect plant just give us a call at 800 756-4931. Batch plants, mixers and related equipment, material handling and more - Mixer Systems is the name concrete product producers know and trust.

*I*

18

NCBVA BULLETIN

June 2006

June 2006 NCBVA BULLETIN 19

NCBVA Certified Vault Manufacturing Plants NCBVA proudly recognizes the following companies

that have a current standing in the Plant Certification Program

Abel Vault & Monument Co. Canton, IL

Abel Vault & Monument Co. Pekin, IL

American Concrete Industries Veazie, ME

American Vault Co. Cleveland, OH

American Wilbert Vault Corp. Forest Park, IL

Arnold-Wilbert Corp. Goldsboro, NC

Arrow Vault Co., Inc. Lafayette, IN

Atlas Concrete Products, Inc. Orlando, FL

Babylon Vault Co. New Windsor, MD

Badger Burial Vault Co. Eau Claire, WI

Baumgardner Products Co. Akron, OH

Baxter Burial Vault Cincinnati, OH

Baxter Vault Co. Baxter Springs, KS

Beck Vault Co. Rome, NY

Brewster Vaults & Monuments Millville, NJ

Brown-Wilbert, Inc. Morris, MN

Brown-Wilbert, Inc. St. Paul, MN

Bruns Norwalk Vault Co. St. Louis, MO

Brutsche Concrete Products Battle Creek, MI

Brutsche Concrete Products Benton Harbor, MI

Buckeye Vault Service Mansfield, OH

Bush Concrete Products, Inc. Muskegon, MI

C & M Precast Kerrville, TX

Calumet Wilbert Vault Co. Inc. Gary, IN

Carolina-Doric, Inc. Florence, SC

Central Burial Vaults, Inc. Marlow, OK

Central Burial Vaults, Inc. Oklahoma City, OK

Central Burial Vaults, Inc. Tulsa, OK

Central New York Vault Co. Cortland, NY

Century Vault Co., Inc. West Barnstable, MA

Charleston Wilbert Summerville, SC

Cheboygan Cement Products Co. Cheboygan, MI

Chesapeake Burial Vault Co. Ingleside, MD

Christy Vault Co., Inc. Colma, CA

Columbus-Beier Vaults Columbus, WI

Cooper Wilbert Vault Co. Middletown, DE

Cordeiro Vault Co., Inc. Vallejo, CA

Costello & Company Vaults Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada

Creter Vault Corp. Flemington, NJ

Crummitt & Son Vault Corp. Martins Ferry, OH

D.G. Robertson, Inc. Williston, VT

Dardanelle Vault & Monument Dardanelle, AR

Delaware Valley Vault Co., Philadelphia, PA

DePue Wilbert Vault Savannah, GA

Deihl Vault & Precast Co. Orangeville, PA

Detroit Wilbert Vault Corp. Detroit, MI

Doody Burial Vaults, Inc. Winchendon, MA

Doric Concrete Vaults Inc. Garden City, KS

Doric Concrete Vaults, Inc. Great Bend, KS

Doric Concrete Vaults Inc. Osage City, KS

Doric Huntingburg Vault Co. Huntingburg, IN

Doric of Kansas Vault Iola, KS

Doric of Nashville, Inc. Nashville, TN

Doric of Northeast Arkansas Jonesboro, AR

Doric of South Texas Elsa, TX

Doric Concrete Vaults Limon, CO

Doric Concrete Vaults, Inc. Newton, KS

Doric Manufacturing Co. Boaz, AL

Doric Mississippi, Inc. Vicksburg, MS

Doric-South, Inc. Demopolis, AL

Doric Vault of Eastern NY, Inc. Hudson, NY

Doric Vault of Western NY, Inc. Depew, NY

Doric Vault Co. Griffin, GA

Dura Vault North Bend, OH

Eagle Burial Vault Co. of LA Ruston, LA

Eagle Burial Vaults Perry, GA

Esterly Burial Vault Co. West Reading, PA

Evans Eagle Vaults, Inc. Leola, PA

Everlasting Vault Co. Randallstown, MD

Florida Wilbert, Inc. Jacksonville, FL

Fon du Lac Wilbert Vault Fon du Lac, WI

Forsyth Bros. Fithian, IL

Fort Myers Wilbert Vault Service Fort Myers, FL

Forsyth Bros. Concrete Prod. Terre Haute, IN

Gettysburg Burial Vault Co. Gettysburg, PA

Golden Eagle Vault Co. Rocky Mountain, VA

Grable Vault Co. Logansport, IN

Graffius Burial Vault Co. Sinking Springs, PA

Granite State Doric Newport, NH

Gray Bros., Inc. Kansas City, KS

Gross Vault Co. Thomasville, GA

Hairfield Vault Co. Hickory, NC

Hardy Doric, Inc. Chelmsford, MA

Ham Vault Service Massillon, OH

Harris Precast Laporte, IN

Heilman — Wirtz, Inc. Cedar Hill, TX

Hicks Industries, Inc. Miami, FL

Hicks Industries, Inc. Mulberry, FL

Horton Precast Gerard, PA

J.P. Vincent & Son, Inc. Galena, IL

Jacson, Inc. Henderson, TX

Jefferson Concrete Corp. Watertown, NY

Josten Wilbert Vault Co. Sioux Falls, SD

Kansas City Wilbert Grandview, MO

Lakeshore Burial Vault Co. Brookfield, WI

Lavaca Vault Co. Lavaca, AK

Louisell-Davis Vault Service Chattanooga, TN

Ludlow Burial Vault Co. Ludlow, MA

Lycoming Burial Vault Co. Inc. Montoursville, PA

Marion Vault Works Marion, IN

Markham Burial Vault Services Richmond, VA

Markham-Carter Vault Service Smithfield, VA

Master Grave Service Athens, GA

McDowell Doric Vault Co. Fletcher, NC

Memphis Burial Vault Co. Memphis, TN

Mercer Vault Company Fredericksburg, VA

Milan Burial Vault, Inc. Milan, MI

Minnick Services Corp. Fort Wayne, IN

Montgomery Vault Co. Woodsboro, MD

Montgomery Vault Co. Rockville, MD

Moore Wilbert Vault Co. Evans, GA

Murray Vault Co. Austin, AR

Neher Burial Vault Co. Springfield, OH

Nor-Don Vault Co. Inc. Strafford, MO

North Central Mich. Vault Srvc. Cadillac, MI

Norwalk Vault Co. Johnstown, PA

Odon Vault Company, Inc. Odon, IN

Omaha Wilbert Vault, Inc. Omaha, NE

Ostwalt Vault Co. Concord, NC

Palm Vault Co. Ada, OK

Patriot Vault Co. Park Hills, MO

Panhandle Vaults Wellington, TX

Pennsylvania Concrete Vault Co. Greensburg, PA

Perfection Vault Woodson, IL

Phenix Vault Phenix City, AL

continued ... For information on NCB VA's exclusive Plant Inspection and Certification Program, please contact

NCBVA Headquarters at I-800-538-1423 or use application form on the next page.

Evening Phone Plant Manager/Contact Person

Types of Outer Burial Receptacles Produced 71 Top Seals Air Domes Sectionals Other

Please return this application with full payment to:

For a NCBVA member in good standing, the Plant Certification Inspection fee is $1295.

The National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc. 195 Wekiva Springs Rd., Suite #200 Longwood, FL 32779 (800) 538-1423 Fax (407) 774-6751

NCBVA Certified Vault Manufacturing Plants (Continued)

Pioneer Vault, Inc. Doylestown, PA

Poplar Bluff Doric Vaults, Inc. Poplar Bluff, MO

Precast Concrete Products, Inc.

Blissfield, MI Precision Precast Inc.

Pittsfield, MA Quality Burial Vault Co.

Houston, TX Rex Vault Service

Newton, IL

Sheldon Vault Co. Sheldon, IA

Shenandoah Valley Vaults, Inc. Dayton, VA

Shore Vault & Precast Co. Exmore, VA

Simerly Vaults, Inc. Knoxville, TN

Southern Ohio Vault Co. Portsmouth, OH

Southern Vault Service Blakely, GA

Spoerr Precast Concrete Sandusky, OH

Sunnycrest, Inc. Auburn, NY

Suhor Industries Cedar Hill, TX

Suhor Industries Parsons, KS

Suhor Industries San Antonio, TX

Sunnycrest, Inc. Auburn, NY

Superior Burial Vaults, Inc. Salt Lake City, UT

Superior Vault Co. Bryantown, MD

Superior Vault Co. Charlestown, IN

Swan's Concrete Products Westbrook, ME

Tennessee Vault & Grave, Inc. Dechard, TN

Tucker Vault Co. Farmington, MO

Turner Vault Company Toledo, OH

Vanden Boomen Burial Vaults Inc. Appleton, WI

Vanden Boomen Burial Vaults Inc. Wausau, WI

Vault Service Griffin, GA

Washington Wilbert Vault Works Inc.

Laurel, MD Warga Concrete Products Inc.

Fort Wayne, IN Watts Vault & Monument Co.

Des Moines, IA Wayne Burial Vault Co., Inc. Indianapolis, IN

Welte Vault Co. Danbury, IA

Western Carolina Vault Co. Fletcher NC

West Plains Vault & Mfg. Co. Pomona, MO

Whitman Vault Co. Whitman, MA

Wicomico Vault Co., Inc. Salisbury, MD

Wieser Precast Stewartville, MN

Wieser Doric Vault Co. LaCrescent, MN

Wilbert Burial Vault Co. Atlanta, GA

Wilbert Burial Vault Co. Muskegon, MI

Wilbert Burial Vault (The James Co.)

Waycross, GA Wilbert Services

Lancaster, NY Wilbert Vaults of Houston, Inc.

Houston, TX Willbee Concrete Products

Jackson, MI Williams Wilbert

Des Moines, IA Williams Vault Company

Emporia, VA Willmar Precast Co.

Willmar, MN Zeiser Wilbert Vault Co.

Elmira, NY

Rocky Mountain Monument/ Vault

Sandy, UT Roland-Wilbert Vault Co.

Marion, IA Saginaw Wilbert Vault Corp.

Saginaw, MI Sam Green Vault Co.

Lynchburg, VA St. Louis Wilbert Vault Co.

St. Louis, MO Saline Vault Co.

Sweet Springs, MO Simerly Concrete Products, Inc.

Bristol, TN Santeiu Vaults Inc.

Livonia, MI

National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc. Member Application for Plant Inspection

Name of Plant

Plant Mailing Address

Plant Street Address

Plant Telephone Fax Number

Owner's Name Evening Phone

20 NCBVA BULLETIN June 2006

METALLIC VAULT COATINGS

Metapure Dust-Free Pellets

Metalink Technology for One-Part Coatings

New High-Shine Copper, Gold and

Silver Pigments: Mirra flake Grades

Quality Glitters, Spray Cans, Bronzing Liquids

We Appreciate Our Burial Vault Customers At

Dedicated to being the best supplier for the industry in

burial vault coatings!

610-429-1345 West Chester, PA

EDGMONT METALLIC•P1GMENT•INC.

June 2006

NCBVA BULLETIN 21

DORIC illimv BURIAL VAULTS

Solving Problems for Families and Funeral Directors When Details Mean the Most...

Quality Lined, Concrete Burial Vaults Artfully Crafted Olympian Bronze and

Stainless Steel Premium Vaults Cremation Urns and Urn Vaults

"Daisy" Infant Combinations Quality, Dependable Graveside Service

Find out more about being a Doric "Problem Solver"

800-457-0671 www.doric-vaults.com

To answer the question "How High can you Go? We must 1st ask . .

OWifi 15 YOUR

RHO WC Cardinal's "Drive In/Drive Thu" Structural Rack allows you to stack vaults as high as your ceiling will allow, increasing storage capacity by 80%.

Quick & Easy Picking Cost-Effective

Schedule your no-obligation assessment today.

THE W.C.

Call Today Toll Free: (888) 297-3132 Visit Us on the Web:

cOMPANY,Inc. www.wccardinal.com

W.C.CARDINAL COMPANY, Inc. • 1 Industrial Pk. Rd. • P.O. Box 266 • Cadiz, OH 43907 . Ph: (740) 942-4411 • Fax: (740) 942-4412

CARDINAL

Uncompromised service. Concrete solutions:. www.wilbertonline.com

22 NCBVA BULLETIN June 2006

SO TOUGH, your truck will be jealous.

,s9E0/ ‘ .t%\\•\ 41,

4) g, VMØ

We'd like to apologize if the Wilbert" Stronghold' and its standard

features, including a 4'x2' tubular frame, 12 HP engine, 7000 lb GVWR,

5" I-beam, and polyester powder-coated finish are too much for you.

We'd like to—but we won't.

For a free video and

complete information,

call 888.WILBERT today!

H2003 Tilt/Telescoping model shown. Wilbert, the Wilbert script logo, and Stronghold are trademarks or registered trademarks of Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. 0 Copyright 2006 by Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. All rights reserved. ADV-05110901 NCBVA0511

June 2006

NCBVA BULLETIN

23

CON

\10 o s

1111111■11111111■111111111

Dues Schedule

Manufacturer Member Dues are based on total units sold for all locations of the company.

Please check appropriate level: 1-999 Units $170

0 1000 - 1999 $260

2000 - 3499 $350

0 3500 - 4999 $435

0 5000 and more $525

Associate Member .... $150

Franchise Group $600

Payment Information Include payment with this completed form. We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express

0 Check is enclosed

Please charge my 0 Visa 0 MasterCard 0 Amex

Account # Expiration date

Mailing Information 1

NCBVA 195 Wekiva Springs Rd., Suite 200

Longwood, FL 32779 (800)538-1423

Fax: (407)7746751

www.ncbva.org

National Concrete Burial Vault Association "Serving the death care industry with the very best"

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

Key Contact Nickname

Title

Company Name

Street Address

City State

Phone Fax

E-mail

Company Web Site

71 Check here if you prefer to have your mail sent to your home. Home street Address City State Zip Home Phone Home Fax

COMPANY INFORMATION 0 Burial Vault Manufacturer

[7i Funeral Director

0 Crematory

•

Cemetery

0 Doric 0 Wilbert n Eagle 11 Trigard

Con-O-lite 0 Other 0 Provide Graveside services

Metal Vaults 0 Plastic Vaults 1J Fiberglass Vaults

Offer sizes for 71 Children 0 Adults 0 Oversize

Associate Member: Tell us in 25 words or less about your product/services

CI Please enroll me in NCBVA today! Signature indicates that you have read and agree to abide by NCBVA's Code of Ethics and the rules which govern the National Concrete Burial Vault Association. Signa-ture is required before this application can be processed.

(Signature) (Date)

Zip

CODE OF ETHICS We believe that concrete is an ideal material for the construction of burial vaults for the interment of human remains and that a properly constructed concrete burial vault is worthy of acceptance by the public. Our sales and advertising policies will be governed by standards acceptable by the public and the funeral profession and by principles advocated by the National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc. We pledge fair trade practices to our competitor whose product we will not disparage. We shall conduct our business on sound business principles, striving to build a relationship of respect and confidence for the burial vault industry with the public, with the funeral director and with the cemeteries management. We will abide by the rules and regula-tions of the National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc., thereby contributing to a stronger and greater national industry.

Go Nautical With NCBVA February 2007

Yes, it's a year away, but not too early to budget and plan to join your colleagues on an exciting Cruise Convention. NCBVA's last sailing in 2000 was one of the highest attended functions ever!

Departing February 15, 2007 from Miami, FL, we'll board Royal Caribbean's newest, most innovative ship, The Free-dom of the Seas, for this seven-day, six-night adven-ture. Ports of call include Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Montego Bay, Jamaica and Labadee, Hispaniola.

The Freedom of the Seas, which will be completed in June for its inaugural sailing, has such innovative features as a rock climbing wall and an ice skating rink!

Visit the NCBVA Web site to view the ship's floor plan, obtain rates, register on line or link to The Freedom of the Seas Web site.

National Concrete Burial Vault Association, Inc. 195 Wekiva Springs Rd., Suite 200, Longwood, FL 32779

FIRST CLASS Address Correction Service Requested