Press Note – Funergal
>> INFUNER, Aerodrop, Tellmebye and Minitrucks Robotics receive the International Funergal Awards of this edition
Funergal closed the doors of its 12th edition today at Expourense after two and a half days of intense commercial and training activity during which it received the support of sector professionals, mainly from the Iberian Peninsula, although visitors were received from 21 countries from four continents. In total, this event received more than 4,500 visitors, 11% more than in the 2022 edition, with a higher ratio of visitors per exhibitor than in previous editions.
This edition was attended by 55 exhibitors from 8 countries among which could be found one of the major providers of funeral services as the Mémora Group; to major manufacturers of coffins of the Peninsula; manufacturers of crematory ovens, urns, tombstones, floral arrangements, jewellery, accessories and accessories to implement a funeral; comprehensive management of funeral services; chemical and embalming equipment and material; specialised training in thanatopraxy; insurance for funeral companies; consultancy; publishing houses; specialised software; the main funeral vehicle manufacturers in Spain and Portugal; national associations representing different professional branches (funeral companies, funeral professionals, cemetery managers, etc.); furniture and accessories for funeral services; furniture and complements for the funeral industry…. ); furniture and accessories for funeral parlours and cemeteries; funeral fairs; media specialised in the sector, etc. Exhibitors saw Funergal as an opportunity to position their brand among professional visitors, whose number and clear intention to buy met exhibitors’ expectations.
In terms of training, this edition of Funergal included the 3rd International Congress of Funeral Directors, which brought together 14 experts and was well attended, with many of the presentations being fully booked. It is estimated that around 400 professionals followed the presentations at the congress.
Awards
The Funergal International Awards were created in 2012 to celebrate the great qualitative leap made by this event when it was recognised as an international fair by the Spanish Government, an internationality that this fair has maintained and promoted and which has brought together professionals from around twenty countries at this edition. These awards were created 14 years ago and since then have been maintained because the organisers of the fair see it as a positive thing to recognise those entities that have stood out especially for their efforts and commitment to each edition.
These Funergal International Awards, in their 2024 edition, recognised precisely the axes on which the evolution of the funeral sector is revolving: technology and sustainability.
BEST STAND AWARD: INFUNER – Funeral Innovations
This category recognised the equipment, decoration and layout of the stand, as well as the service offered to the customer. The company awarded in this category had a large stand offering innovative funeral products from leading international suppliers. This company was also the winner in this category at the last edition.
BEST PROMOTIONAL ACTION AWARD: tellmebye
The innovation, impact and repercussion of the participation in this edition has been valued. This company was one of the driving forces behind virtual and interactive wakes and has contributed to the introduction of digitalisation in funeral services. It has international technological partners such as Philips and local partners in Galicia such as Gesmemori. During the two and a half days of Funergal they were the first stand that visitors saw and very few continued their visit to the fair without stopping at the stand to learn about their products and services.
INTERNATIONALISATION AWARD: Minitrucks Robotics.
This category valued the projection and international importance of the company’s participation in this edition and the support that this represents for the internationalisation of Funergal. For this reason, the award went to the French company Minitrucks Robotics, which participated for the first time. They presented one of their minitrucks, which are a solution for lifting heavy loads in a safe and sustainable way. The award recognises their commitment to Funergal as a gateway for their company to the Iberian market.
BEST INNOVATIVE PRODUCT/SERVICE AWARD: Aerodrop.
Funergal is biennial and in 2 years the innovations to be presented accumulate. The awarded company has stood out for the innovation and differentiation of its candidacy based on the application of new technologies at the service of the funeral professional. As an innovative service, they presented their automatic ID card and passport reading function, which optimises administrative processes and offers a more efficient and precise service in such delicate moments as providing a funeral service.
The closing ceremony also included the presentation of the ‘Honour to those who deserve honour’ awards in the funeral sector, presented by the Mexican company Gane Ventas Funerarias in collaboration with Funergal. On this occasion, recognition was given to three companies whose participation always has a ‘plus’, an added value manifested through their affection, their commitment, their loyalty, their help in internationalisation and, above all, their help in organising the best Funergal possible. These awards were received by Francisco Pérez, manager of Ideter (Jaén); Andrés Carrera, director of Ataúdes La Fábrica (León) and the company Irmaos Salgueiro from Portugal. The delegations of funeral businessmen from Mexico, Ecuador and El Salvador who took part in the fair were also recognised.
This 12th edition was sponsored by the Diputación Provincial de Ourense and also had the sponsorship of the large business groups providing funeral services in the country as Interfunerarias and Grupo Albia, and the collaboration of Enalta.
Thus concludes the first international event of Expourense for this 2024. The next event planned for the venue will be the 17th Symposium on Renewable Energies – Sustainable Architecture to be held on 30 May.
