Batesville Casket history

1906: John A. Hillenbrand acquires a troubled casket manufactu rer, Batesville Coffin Company, and changes its name to Batesville Ca sket Company.

Owner of the American Furniture Company, and, in time, the Batesville Carving Company, Hillenbrand set up a plant in the small Franklin County town to house all three subsidiaries in 1921.

In an attempt to st art a furniture business, he founded the Hill-Rom Company in 1929, du ring the Great Depression.

In 1940, for example, Hillenbrand pioneered the mass production of me tal caskets, which became considerably less expensive to manufacture than traditional wooden coffins.

1971: Hillenbrand Industries completes its initial public offe ring of stock.

The company purchased American Tourister, In c., of Warren, Rhode Island, in 1978.

M oreover, by 1985 the company netted almost $35 million in income from about $440 million in sales.

In 1991, Hill- Rom acquired French manufacturer Le Courviour S.A., a leading Europea n supplier of hospital beds and furniture.

In 1992, moreover, net income rocketed 30 percent a s sales ballooned to more than $1.3 billion.

Faris, Charlene, “Batesville Casket Co.: The Nation’s Largest Casket Manufacturer,” Indiana Business, April 1993.

In 1994, federal law began allowing customers to purchase caskets directly from the retailer, instead of requiring a funeral director to serve as intermediary.

A new chief financial officer was appointed soon afterwards, as well as new department heads for each of the company's three operating companies , Batesville Casket, Rom-Hill, and Forethought, which had been rename d Forethought Financial Services, Inc. in 1997.

1999: Fredrick Rockwood is appointed president, ushering in a series of senior management changes.

When Gus Hillenbr and retired in late 2000, Rockwood added the title of chief executive officer, representing just one of a slew of leadership changes made at the time.

In February 2003, Hillenbrand acquired St Paul, Minneso ta-based NaviCare Systems Inc., a healthcare management firm.

Evanoff, Ted, "Batesville, Ind.-Based Manufacturer's Stock Rises on Possible Subsidiary Sale," Indianapolis Star, February 14, 2004.