Aurora Casket Company
| Private | |
| Founded | 1890 |
| Founder | John Backman |
| Headquarters | Aurora, Indiana |
Key people |
William Barrott III (CEO) William Backman III (Exec. V.P.) |
| Products | Caskets, urns, and other funeral supplies |
| Revenue | $357 million (2003) |
| Owner | Kohlberg & Co. |
Number of employees | Over 1500 (2003) |
Aurora Casket Company is one of the larger manufacturers of caskets and urns. The company has over 1500 employees, and is based in Aurora, Indiana. As of 2005, it sold over 38% of the caskets used in the United States.
The company traces its roots back to 1890, when John Backman began making wooden caskets by hand. At the time he employed 20 people. In the 1920s, John's son William Backman, and his son-in-law William Barrott joined the company. Since that time the company has been controlled by the Backman and Barrott families. The current President and CEO is Michael R. Quinn
Today the company makes both wooden and metal caskets. The company also produces urns for holding cremated remains. The company also provides supplies and consulting services for funeral homes.
In 2012, the company was acquired by private equity firm Kohlberg & Co.[1]