Contact: Jessica Koth, 262-814-1536; Emilee High, 262-814-1547

For Immediate Release
March 12, 2009
NFDA: 14-09


Brookfield, Wis. - The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) will co-host its 2009 Asia Funeral Expo & Conference (AFE) at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre May 13-15. AFE will provide the opportunity for funeral professionals from every walk of life to share their customs, culture and information with their professional peers worldwide. In addition, AFE 2009 will offer an invaluable opportunity for suppliers to showcase their products, innovations and ideas for an international audience of funeral professionals and buyers in order to better serve families.

Nearly 160 companies on several continents will participate in NFDA's 2009 AFE exhibition - a marked increase from the 100 companies that exhibited at AFE 2008, NFDA's first hosted event abroad. Companies that have already committed to exhibit at AFE 2009 include: United Memorial Products, featuring York caskets (United States); The Dodge Company (United States); TerryBear Urns and Memorial Keepsakes (United States); Legacy Caskets (United States); Facultatieve Technologies and Hygeco International (The Netherlands, France); Algordanza (Switzerland); Anubis (France); Nantong Millionaire Furniture Ltd. (China); and Saint Kit Woods Art Industrial Ltd. (Hong Kong); as well as dozens of other suppliers.

NFDA's 2009 AFE exhibition will again provide a global showcase of funerary products and services, including: caskets and urns made from a variety of materials; tombstones, monuments and other gravemarkers; equipment and machinery used in cemetery, mortuary and crematory operations; keepsake and memorial products; experts who can assist attendees with computer- and Internet-based technologies; advance funeral planning solutions; repatriation sources; and many other business-building ideas - especially important given the state of today's global economy.

Moreover, in addition to the largest funeral product and service exhibition of its kind on the continent, NFDA's 2009 Asia Funeral Expo and Conference will offer attendees the opportunity to share and learn from funeral professionals from around the world about their customs, culture and information through workshops, tours of funeral homes and cemeteries and other social events.

"There are now many Asians living in our part of the world, at the foot of Africa, and it's an opportune time to learn how to best serve them when it comes to funerals and repatriation," said Elsabe Basilio, president of the National Funeral Directors Association of South Africa, who attended AFE 2008.

Said NFDA Director of International Relations Deborah Andres: "At NFDA's AFE 2008, we had 2,000 attendees from 36 countries and regions worldwide engage in meaningful dialogue about the future of funeral service and how to better serve families. I am excited to see participation in AFE grow this year."

"Funeral service is no longer just about serving your neighbors," Andres added. "Countries are growing more diverse, and funeral directors find themselves serving families that come from other countries with vastly different funeral customs and traditions. AFE 2009 will help funeral directors learn about these funeral traditions and collaboratively explore the global challenges facing funeral service in order to best-serve families, no matter where they come from."

Funeral professionals with questions about NFDA AFE 2009 or wishing to register should visit www.asiafuneralexpo.com or contact Andres at +1-262-789-1880 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The registration fee is $575US for NFDA members or $725US for funeral professionals who are not members of NFDA. Those registering before March 31 can register at the discounted price of $450US for NFDA members or $599US for funeral professionals who are not members of NFDA.

NFDA is the world's leading funeral service association, serving 19,000 individual members who represent more than 10,200 funeral homes in the United States and internationally. From its headquarters in Brookfield, Wis., and its Advocacy office in Washington, D.C., NFDA informs, educates and advocates to help members enhance the quality of service they provide to families. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.

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