Two companies control up to 82% of the casket supply in North America — and neither sells to you. Caskets 101 teaches you how to build and sell caskets legally, profitably, and with real craft, right in your own community.
Two companies control up to 82% of the casket supply in North America — and neither one sells to you.
Batesville and Matthews International dominate the casket market, but both sell exclusively through funeral homes. The number of independent casket makers has collapsed from over 700 in 1950 to about 65 today. Meanwhile, families are paying $2,400–$10,000+ for a casket they don't know they're legally allowed to source elsewhere.
That gap is the business. Caskets 101 teaches you how to step into it — legally, profitably, and with real craft behind you.
What you'll learn
The industry, demystified. Current death care statistics, where caskets actually come from, what families really pay (and where the markup is), and why the shift to cremation and green burial makes this a better time to start, not a worse one.
Your legal right to build and sell. A plain-English breakdown of the FTC Funeral Rule and the consumer protections that let you compete directly with funeral homes — the single biggest thing stopping most builders from starting is not knowing this exists.
A real business plan, not just a build guide. Product tiers, pricing strategy, target customers, and a 90-day launch roadmap.
A marketing plan built for this category. This isn't a product people casually search for — it's a trust-driven, relationship-driven sale. You'll get a full local marketing playbook: website and Google Business setup, local SEO, referral partnerships with hospices and green cemeteries, content and social strategy, pre-need marketing, and how to track what's actually working.
Shop setups for every stage. Three complete shop layouts with equipment lists, station-by-station workflow, and real startup cost ranges — from a one-car garage assembling pre-cut kits, to a small woodshop adding a profitable casket and urn line, to a full production shop built for volume.
Who this is for
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Woodworkers and carpenters looking for a meaningful, high-margin niche
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Small shop owners wanting to add a proven product line without guesswork
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Anyone ready to build a real local business serving families with dignity, craft, and an honest price
What you'll walk away with
A complete playbook: the numbers, the law, the build, the marketing, and the shop setup — everything you need to go from "I build furniture" to "I run a casket business people in my community trust."