Editor’s Note: Soon after our June CFSA Newsletter was issued, news broke about the acquisition of Aurora by Matthews. Although this may be “old news” by now for CFSA members, we are reprinting below the official new release that Aurora released on June 9, 2015.
“Aurora, Ind., June 9, 2015 – Aurora Casket Company (“Aurora” or the “Company”) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by Matthews International Corporation (“Matthews”). Aurora will be combined with Matthews Funeral Home Products to form Matthews Aurora Funeral Solutions, which will be a cornerstone business of the Memorialization Segment of Matthews.
Aurora and Matthews share established traditions of providing funeral homes with the highest quality products and outstanding service. The joining of these two industry players will offer each company’s customers a compelling opportunity, bringing together their best products, marketing programs, and services. Customers will continue to receive an extensive casket selection, exemplary delivery service, industry-leading marketing programs, and continuity of experienced sales support.
Aurora is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2015 and serves more than five thousand customers annually. Aurora is committed to providing the highest-quality products and valuable business-building solutions for its funeral home customers, including its value-adding products, BeRemembered.com, Business Advisor, Family Connections Advisor, and many others. The closing of the transaction is expected to occur during the quarter ending September 30, 2015, subject to the receipt of all required regulatory approvals.
Michael R. Quinn, President and CEO of Aurora, stated, “We see tremendous potential in combining Aurora with Matthews International Corporation, forming the most progressive industry supplier committed to helping funeral homes grow and succeed. Our company missions are similar, our geographic footprints are complementary, and we know that the new Matthews Aurora Funeral Solutions will continue Aurora’s tradition of helping to celebrate every life and creating healing moments for families.”
Steven D. Gackenbach, Group President for Matthews Memorialization, stated, “Matthews and Aurora share a legacy of deep commitment to serving the funeral industry, and the new Matthews Aurora will be committed to maintaining the exceptional product quality, sales support, customer service and delivery for which both companies are known. We greatly respect the Aurora organization and its heritage, and look forward to uniting our two companies. Matthews and Aurora were both strong independently but together we possess tremendous capabilities to better serve our customers.”
About Aurora
Aurora Casket is the largest privately-owned funeral service supplier in America. Founded in 1890, the company operates five manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Canada, and provides a full range of burial, cremation, memorial, and technology products to funeral home clients that help to celebrate every life and create healing moments for families. For more information, visit www.auroraadvantage.com.
About Matthews
Matthews International Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a provider principally of brand solutions, memorialization products, and industrial automation solutions. Brand solutions include graphics imaging products and services, and merchandising solutions. Memorialization products consist primarily of bronze and granite memorials and other memorialization products, caskets and cremation equipment for the cemetery and funeral home industries. Industrial automation solutions include marking products and fulfillment systems. The Company’s products and services include brand development, deployment and management; printing plates and cylinders; pre-media services and imaging services for consumer packaged goods and retail customers; merchandising display systems and marketing and design services; cast bronze and granite memorials and other memorialization products; caskets; cast and etched architectural products, cremation equipment and cremation-related products; mausoleums; marking and coding equipment and consumables, and industrial automation products and order fulfillment systems for identifying, tracking, picking, and conveying various consumer and industrial products. For more information, visit www.matw.com. Aurora contact: For further information, contact Marty Strohofer, VP of Marketing, 926.5673.”