The satisfaction of the exhibitors ratifies Funergal as the great professional meeting point of the Iberian Peninsula sector

Ourense, 10/11/2018.- Funergal closes the doors of its 10th edition this afternoon, consolidating the best results of its trajectory as an international funeral sector fair. If the 2016 edition was a turning point in the fair in which all the participation data of exhibitors and visitors were exceeded, that of 2018 has only consolidated these results and definitively position it as the great international business center in the Iberian Peninsula. This is an edition that has fulfilled the expectations of the 111 exhibitors from 14 countries that have transmitted to the Expourense organization their high level of satisfaction regarding the business carried out and the visits received during these two days, more than 4,000.

This edition had the collaboration (present through stand or through sponsorship of the event) of large funeral groups in Spain (Funespaña, Interfunerarias, Grupo Albia and Parcesa) who saw in this event an opportunity to position their brand among professionals and to open the sector to a society in which death continues to be a “taboo” issue and in which they work to fulfill a key function in a paradigm shift and transform death into an intimate and full experience in which the funeral is a tribute to life led by the deceased.

Among the exhibitors of Funergal 2018 they shared space with the main manufacturers of coffins, crematoriums, urns, funeral vehicles and other funeral items from Spain and Portugal and from other countries such as Italy, Holland, France, Pakistan or Germany that also had the opportunity to Meet with importers from Brazil, Guatemala or Colombia who participate in the international trade mission of this edition.

Casket and funeral jewels of the Camino de Santiago

Among the novelties of this edition are those presented today in an act in which the board of the Order of the Camino de Santiago participated. This is the “Xacobeo Coffin” arising from the cooperation of two coffin manufacturing companies and who are faithful exhibitors of Funergal: Ataúdes Gallego (Piñor de Cea’s leading export company in Spain) and Mediterranean Innova (located in Fabara, Zaragoza) . This special Xacobeo coffin has an ecological certification and has the Santiago Apostle cross and the traditional scallop shells engraved.

In addition to the coffin, the special funeral jewels of the Camino de Santiago were presented. These are two different models of pendants made of silver, one with the Cross of Santiago and another with the scallop shell, which allow to keep ashes inside it, so it offers the possibility of being able to make the Camino accompanied in some way by the loved ones deceased. It is a product of the Dutch company Funeral Products that manufactured them following the suggestion of the members of the Order of the Camino de Santiago. This entity has more than 1,200 ladies and gentlemen spread all over the World. The spirituality of the Way leads some of its members to request to be buried with the layer of lady or gentleman of the Order and the manufacture of the coffin and the funeral jewels will allow a further step.

Internationality Awards

Funergal delivered its special internationalization awards yesterday at the traditional coexistence dinner and recognizes the efforts made by the exhibitors to offer the most innovative services and products at the fair, as well as to contribute to its internationalization. The winning companies were the following.

– Internationalization Award: PLUDRA (Germany), one of the world’s largest distributors of funeral urns.

– Innovation Award: for SORTEM (Barcelona) that presented its new corporate image and its new products and services in this edition. This category had a second prize that was delivered to the crematorium maker IDETER (Jaén).

– Best Stand Award: Global RC (Portugal) one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of coffins in the neighboring country.

– Prize for the Best Promotional Action: the tandem formed at the fair by the Galician Group and Innova Meditecan Coffins for recreating the Camino de Santiago at its stand.

The collaboration in this edition of entities such as the Albia Group, Funespaña, the Mexican businessman Beto Gil or the Argentinean Darío Loinaz who organized the visit to the fair of a business mission of the funeral sector of Brazil or ALPAR (Latin American Guild Association) of Cemeteries and Funeral Services), an entity that encompasses the main companies in the sector in America and that collaborated in the participation of entrepreneurs from Guatemala, Chile and Colombia in this edition

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Funergal, the organization also recognized companies and entities that have been present in the ten editions, which means more than 20 years of commitment to the fair. These entities were Tanatorio As Burgas, the Funerary Magazine, Bergadana, Atlántida Formation, Funeral Articles Ramón Chao, Inoxcoca or Almuzinc.

International Awards for Merit of Funeral Women

Funergal 2018 concluded with the ceremony of the International Awards for Merit of Funeral Women, a distinction that aims to make visible and highlight the career of professional women in a sector in which the vast majority of workers are men (in Spain women represent 26.41% of workers in the sector, according to PANASEF data). This recognition was given in collaboration with the Mexican company Gane Ventas Funerarias, creator of the award. The winners were professionals from Spain, Portugal, Brazil and Colombia:

– Cristina Oliveira: manager of the Agência Funerária Pátria (in Porto) and delegate in the North section of the National Association of Lutheran Companies ANEL. Portugal.

– Silvia Godinho: partner of the Agência Funerária de Burgães in Santo Tirso, in Portugal.

– Irene Palma: director of the magazine Conceito Lutuoso, of Portugal.

– Carmen Olmeda: director of La Funeraria Guide and funerariashoy.net, two of the main specialized media in Spain.

– Reyes Aguilar: responsible for Training PANASEF, the National Association of Funeral Services PANASEF.

– Emma González, director of International Relations of Funergal.

– The Business Association of Pompas Funeral de Ourense, APEFO, proposed three professionals from the province who received this award: María José Tesouro Babarro, María Flores Pérez Touro, Maite López Fernández and María Carmen Cid Cid.

– Tatiana Osorio: Executive Director of ALPAR Latin American Association of Cemetery Parks and Exequial Services. From Colombia.

– Gisela Dardengo Adissi: President of the Grupo Primaveras de Brasil, one of the largest companies in the sector in that country.

As usual also Funergal, The Funeral Guide presented at the fair the fifth edition of its Award “Best funeral director of Spain” and this time went to Alejandro Rubín, managing director of Expourense and director of Funergal during these 10 editions.

Funergal 2018 concludes. Expourense’s next trade fair will be next week, between November 15 and 17, with the celebration of the second edition of Sportur Galicia, Sports and Active Tourism Exhibition.