Our Story

Our Story

Our story began in 1884 when the Batesville Coffin Company was established. In 1906, John A. Hillenbrand purchased the Batesville Coffin Company and changed the name to Batesville Casket Company.

John A. Hillenbrand had a vision to become an industry leader in North American funeral products. While Batesville Casket Company was originally known for its excellent craftsmanship of wooden caskets, we’ve expanded our products and solutions over the years to meet the evolving needs of families and licensed funeral professionals.

John A. Hillenbrand’s vision remains alive more than 100 years later: we are the leader in the death care industry and continue to deliver manufacturing excellence, product innovation, superior customer service and reliable delivery.

The Evolution of Batesville

START

Began manufacturing metal caskets

Introduced the original gasketed casket and first safety-sealed hardware

Introduced the Memorial Record® system

First manufacturer to convert to 100% zinc cast hardware

Introduced lift/tilt adjustable bed

Introduced swing bar hardware

First embroidered designs

First nationwide distribution system

Introduced the Living Memorial® tree planting program

First plush interiors

Introduced FailSafe® liner in metal caskets

Introduced Options® cremation segment

Introduced interchangeable casket corners (LifeSymbols®)

Introduced MemorySafe® drawer

Introduced LifeStories® caskets and medallions

Changed our name from Batesville Casket to Batesville, reflecting our commitment to complete funeral solutions