- The 12th International Fair of Funeral Products and Services opened its doors today in Expourense (Ourense) bringing together 55 exhibitors.
- Technology and sustainability are the main themes of this event where you can find virtual wakes, 100% electric hearses, cellulose fibre coffins and moss urns.
Funergal opened this morning in Expourense the doors of its 12th edition positioning Ourense on the international map of the funeral sector by bringing together 55 exhibitors from 8 countries and professional visitors from twenty countries from 4 continents. The large number of visits received during this first day ratifies the support of industry professionals to the only international funeral fair held this year in the Peninsula and the only event that offers business by presenting the latest in products and services. Proof of the interest in Funergal is the participation of two large delegations of representatives from one of the main funeral parlours in Ecuador (Vidanova) and one from El Salvador (Funerales y Capillas Ismael Guzmán), as well as other businessmen from Mexico.
Innovation and sustainability mark the novelties in the products and services presented at this event by the 55 exhibitors from 8 countries (China, Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland and Portugal), including leading companies and associations of professionals in the sector who are presenting the latest trends. As far as hearses are concerned, the trend indicates that this ‘last journey’ will be made in a 100% electric, top-of-the-range car such as a Tesla, a Maserati or various Mercedes-Benz models such as the EQE.
As far as coffins are concerned, the offer continues to include those made of fine wood, but also other more ecological options such as those made of cellulose fibre, which are lightweight, easy to burn and do not pollute. There are also those dedicated to the Camino de Santiago and the Cíes Islands.
The increase in cremations (45% in Spain compared to 55% who still prefer burial) has also led to an increase in the offer of urns for the preservation of ashes, which are also in line with sustainability and design, and at Funergal you can find some made of materials such as moss, sugar cane, sand, salt or clay. The wide range of pet urns also stands out. One of the exhibitors also presented, as a novelty, bubble urns dedicated to deceased newborns. Related to this, perinatal mourning is also the theme of the photographic exhibition ‘Arrolos ao ar’ promoted by the City Council of Lugo, the Nursing Association of Lugo, the Galician Nursing Academy and the Arrolos Perinatal Mourning Group (Lugo), which was exhibited in the Cemetery of San Froilán and can be seen these days in Ourense.
In terms of technology, the exhibitors offer apps aimed at undertakers to control the presentation of services from their mobile phones or virtual wakes that include large screens on which the deceased’s loved ones can share their feelings and photographs.
This 12th edition of Funergal was inaugurated this morning in a ceremony attended by the president of the Provincial Council of Ourense, Luis Menor; the general director of Commerce of the Xunta de Galicia, Gabriel Alén; the territorial delegate of the Xunta de Galicia, Manuel Pardo; the president of the funeral entrepreneurs of Ourense, Rubén Campo and the secretary general of the National Association of Funeral Services – PANASEF, Alejando Quinzán. All of them highlighted the revitalising role of the Ourense economy that Expourense plays by organising international fairs that revolve around the potential of this territory, one of them being the funeral industry. This province also has the peculiarity that funeral services are still provided by small family businesses, more than 70 in Ourense.
3rd International Congress of Funeral Directors
In parallel and complementary to Funergal, the 3rd International Congress of Funeral Directors also began today with the participation of 14 experts from Spain and El Salvador who will address current concerns of the sector such as technological innovation, sustainability and the defence of the ethics of the funeral professional.
This congress was widely followed, especially the round table that explained the Decree 129/2023 of Galician Mortuary Health and that was organised by the territorial headquarters of the Consellería de Sanidade in Ourense. This new regulation aims to improve certain aspects to adapt them to the social and technical requirements, and to clarify the problems that were causing doubts in the final recipients.
Programme of activities
Today’s programme of parallel activities included the presentation of the first guide on Thanatopraxy ‘The Art of Embalming’ by Jaume Prats, thanatopractor of PFB Serveis Funeraris e Badalona.
Funergal is also the chosen venue for various meetings and assemblies of professional associations such as the meeting of members of the National Association of Funeral Homes Ágora, ANFA, which represents small and medium-sized funeral companies in Spain.
On the other hand, the Consello da Cultura Galega organised a meeting with Galician funeral directors to analyse the use of Galician in funeral rituals and the linguistic rights of Galician-speaking families in both civil and religious ceremonies.
The activity will continue today after the fair with a visit to a D.O. Ribeiro winery and a gala dinner in a restaurant in the region.
The opening hours of Funergal will be tomorrow, Friday 17th May, from 10.00 to 18.00 h. and Saturday 18th from 10.00 to 14.30 h.