By Thomas A. Parmalee
If you own or work at a funeral home that does less than 500 cremations on an annual basis, 2026 may be a year to remember.
FT North America is introducing a new machine in January 2026 – the FT-USA-XL – which will be the company’s first “mid-range” offering.
Mike Miller chief operating officer of FT North America, said that the unit fits between its FT-USA, designed for up to 200 calls annually, and the FTIII, which is popular at high-volume crematories that perform more than 500 cremations per year.
“Our FT-USA-XL is the perfect solution for funeral homes and crematories looking to add or upgrade new equipment if they do not do the volume that necessitates the horsepower of the FTIII,” he said.
FuneralVision.com recently caught up with Miller to learn more about the new unit and more.
You’ve been the chief operating officer of FT North America for almost three years now … how are you enjoying the role?
Three years? Wow, I’d say time really does fly when you are having fun!
It has certainly been a challenge to learn and understand the supplier and manufacturing side of the profession I have belonged to for almost 40 years, but it’s been a good challenge. Fortunately, I have some great key people around me who have helped make the transition easier.
It also helps that I get to represent a product that I believe in, like FT. Speaking as a former crematory owner, who has managed crematories utilizing all brands of cremation equipment, there really is no comparison to the quality, safety and efficiency you get with FT.
How is your partnership with the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science?
We are very proud of our partnership with the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. As you know, we donated an FTIII, Loader and Processing Station to its cremation campus a couple of years ago, which has afforded the school the opportunity to provide comprehensive training to students.
This year, FT was able to utilize the equipment and campus for our first ever “Hands-on FT Operator Training.” It was a great couple of days for current operators, new operators and potential customers, to come together and learn more about FT and how to maximize the efficiency of equipment. We will be planning more of these classes, at least annually, in the years to come. Some of the professional organizations that offer crematory operator certification classes have inquired about potentially adding a day to their current programs for a “hands-on” enhancement as part of that certification so that may be something you’ll hear more about in the future.
Tell us more about your new machine for mid-volume crematories – the FT-USA/XL.
This is very exciting for FT North America. It will be our first new cremator design in more than 10 years!
The FT-USA/XL will be FT’s first mid-range offering for those crematories that do about 200-500 cremations annually. It is designed with FT’s unmatched quality, safety and efficiency, but fits between our FT-USA, designed for up to 200 calls annually, and the FTIII we are known for in high-volume crematories performing over 500 cremations or more annually.
How did you come up with the name for the new unit?
When the FT-USA was developed a few years back, specifically for the US market that was averaging 200-300 cremations per year, the ability to cremate up to 500 pounds was generally sufficient. As you know, we are not getting any smaller here in the U.S., so the XL designation ensures our clients can safely cremate up to 1,000 pounds with the confidence they rely on from FT.
What is the price point for the new machine, and what do the payment options look like?
The FT-USA/XL is very competitively priced with other cremation equipment in its class. It was very important to us that the machine be affordable, and combined with FT’s quality engineering, provide the highest return on investment when looking at the total cost of ownership over the 25-year life of the machine.
As for payment options, we exclusively offer Partner Pay, which is FT’s internal financing program. It allows you to finance the equipment and all of your maintenance costs for 12 years with one easy payment calculated by the cremation. This means the machine pays for itself as you use it, and since it tracks with your volume, when calls might be a little slow, you get some help with a lower quarterly payment.
We also offer traditional financing through several partners and offer cash discounts in many cases.
How does the price point compare with the FT-USA (designed for up to 200 calls annually) and the FTIII (designed for crematories doing more than 500 cremations annually)?
The FT-USA/XL, just like it’s place in our lineup, is priced right between the FTIII and the FT-USA. It is completely built right here in the USA by our team of artisans in Medina, Ohio, just like the FTIII and the FT-USA and very competitively priced with comparable machines from our competitors.
When will we see some firms using the new machine?
We have already begun manufacturing, so we believe we’ll be delivering some of the first FT-USA/XLs in the first part of 2026, with the majority of orders most likely filled in late 2026 and beyond.
Should a firm currently doing fewer than 200 cremations also give this machine consideration?
Absolutely! Always prepare yourself for growth.
Many markets in the U.S. are just experiencing a robust increase in their cremation rates due to a number of cultural, religious and socioeconomic shifts. They may only be doing 100 or 200 cremations today, but chances are that number will increase as they offer more personalized cremation services and education.
Additionally, as I said before, Americans are not getting any smaller, and the USA/XL is the only machine with FT safety factored in so you can trust it to routinely cremate up to 1,000 pounds without added worry or stress.
Does it seem to you that mid-sized firms are sometimes overlooked at the expense of larger firms?
I am not sure “overlooked” is the right term. I think more and more funeral and cemetery operators are seeing their cremation markets grow to 300-400 cremations annually. At that point, why wouldn’t you want to take the opportunity to bring the cremation process in-house, not only for the additional revenue, but for the peace of mind that comes with knowing a loved one never leaves your care?
In the last several years, cremation has become the preferred method of disposition in almost every state. Believe it or not, there are significant segments of the population that are just now experiencing double digit growth in cremation rates due to shifts in cultural or religious beliefs. FT wants to be sure we are meeting them where they are, and the FT-USA/XL will allow us to offer them the quality and return on investment that can only be realized with FT cremation equipment at a price point that makes sense for them.
Are you rolling out this new machine worldwide, or just in the United States?
Our initial sights are set on North America, but we have identified several markets around the world where this machine might be a good addition to our current offerings, or an entry point for new markets.
If someone is interested in this new offering, where can they go for more information, or who can they contact for a consultation?
Visit FTNorthAmerica.com and click on “take the next step.” Fill out our contact form and request additional information for the FT-USA/XL. You can also call 330-723-6339 to reach one of our account executives who can answer all of your questions.
Do you have any final thoughts?
I say this all the time, and it may sound corny, but I believe it … FT equipment will change your life.
As a crematory owner/manager, I experienced the change in my staff’s level of professionalism when they internalized the investment we had made in them, I realized I had time to focus on growing my business and not worrying about scheduling maintenance and working through downtime, and the savings I realized in operating costs made the decision to pay a bit more up front, the best return on my investment over the long term. I want all crematory operations to experience this feeling, so reach out to FT today and find out why our customers all say, “nothing beats an FT.”
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