Eickhof Columbaria has spent the last 35 years developing a better way to engineer, design, and fabricate columbaria, making it a leader in the industry for cremation memorialization. Eickhof also holds patents for several of its products, including its concealed locking hardware systems, which allows the columbaria to have a smooth, clean surface, will ensure they remain at the forefront of the industry in the future.
According to President and CEO Paul Eickhof, the business got its start when Jack Eickhof convinced the Presbyterian Church in Crookston that there should be a memorial area for those who chose cremation. “It’s started here in Crookston at the Presbyterian Church,” said Eickhof. “Jack Eickhof thought that cremation was a practical form of disposition, but what he didn’t like was the urn ending up in the trunk of the car or a shelf in the garage. He thought there should be a fitting memorial area for the urn, and he convinced the Presbyterian Church to install a memorial area called a columbarium. And what happened next was I looked at it when it was completed and made a comment that maybe we could sell this product around the United States. We started a partnership and got busy perfecting the product, marketing the product, and doing everything necessary to have a successful product.”
Since their beginning, Eickhoff has become a leader around the United States and completed 92 columbaria projects last year, the most they’ve done in a single year to date, including completing their first projects in Chile. “As the years went by, we continued to have different designs and different types of columbaria,” said Eickhof. “Jack wanted to retire 13 years ago, and I bought his shares. Since that time, we have moved into new facilities with a new office. And last year, we completed 92 columbarium projects around the United States, Puerto Rico, and Santiago, Chile.”
Eickhof said being a pioneer and leader in the business has allowed them to improve their product and which has led to the business holding several patents. “Being a pioneer in the business, we’ve always been the leader,” said Eickhof. “Being the leader, you have the opportunity to see things how you can improve your product and make it better. And that allows you to apply for patents. Unlike a farming operation where you need a lot of land and equipment, we like to have intellectual property to protect our ideas. That’s our investment in the future, to spend the money that is required to obtain patents. That doesn’t mean someone isn’t going to infringe, but they are probably going to think twice.”
The desire for columbaria is growing as 2018 marked the first time that there were more cremations than traditional burials in the United States. That number is expected to continue to grow in the years to come. “Last year was the first year that cremation surpassed traditional burial in what families have chosen for final disposition in the United States,” said Eickhof. “It shows that the future looks like that by mid the mid-2030s that we’ll be up to 80 percent which provides the opportunity for more families to be educated on memorialization for cremation.”
Eickhoff added they are always looking for new team members. “We have a great business here in Crookston with a great future,” said Eickhof. “And we’re always looking for good team members.”
