By Thomas A. Parmalee
Tom Clayton joined FT North America as director of business development about six months ago, bringing seasoned expertise to the company.
Clayton, who has worked in deathcare for about 10 years, including a previous stint as a sales representative at FT, said he’s thrilled to have rejoined the company that he believes builds the best cremation equipment for the profession.
“That’s not a knock on anyone else — it’s just where I landed after being in the cremation space for several years,” he said. “The opportunity to come back into a leadership role with the ability to shape the future at FT made the decision even easier.
FuneralVision.com recently caught up with Clayton to learn how the needs of funeral homes, cemeteries and crematories have changed over the years as it relates to cremation, the trends he’s seeing, how firms can effectively balance the need to carry out more cremations against the realities of aging equipment and more.
How has your perspective on the industry’s biggest challenges evolved over the past decade?
The biggest shift for me when it comes to industry challenges has been realizing that there isn’t one answer that fits everybody. Each time I walk into a crematory, I feel like it’s my job to understand their business before we ever start talking about equipment. The more questions I ask, the better recommendations I can make. That’s a better approach than assuming every client has the same needs just because they’re inquiring about a retort.
FT North America has long been recognized as a leader in cremation technology. What do you believe differentiates the company in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace?
I think it starts with the product. If I didn’t believe FT builds the best cremation equipment in the industry, I wouldn’t be here. Beyond that, we’ve built a reputation for continuing to support our customers long after the sale. In an industry this small, that matters. People talk, and over time you earn a reputation … and I think we have a pretty good one.
Cremation rates continue to rise across North America. What trends are you seeing among funeral homes and crematories as they adapt to serving a larger cremation-oriented consumer base?
Customers are looking for equipment that can do more, cost less to operate and keep up with increasing demand. Efficiency is driving a lot of today’s conversations. Fuel costs, cremation times and automation are all at the forefront. Everyone wants equipment that can better handle obese cases … we all know people aren’t getting smaller.
Many funeral professionals are balancing growing cremation demand with aging equipment and facilities. What are the most common operational concerns you hear from crematory owners today?
Downtime. Nobody can afford to be non-operational.
That’s why at FT we manufacture our equipment with the highest quality components in the industry. Because of our optimized operator system, 90% of maintenance issues can be addressed remotely, and we make it a priority to be onsite for larger issues within 24-48 hours to ensure minimal downtime to the business.
When funeral homes or cemeteries begin evaluating new cremation equipment, what factors should they prioritize beyond the initial purchase price?
Everybody starts with price … and they should. It’s a significant investment.
But after that, the conversation should really be about total cost of ownership. What’s it going to cost to own and operate that equipment over the next 25-plus years? Fuel efficiency, maintenance intervals, reliability and the support you receive after the sale all play a much bigger role than most people realize. Those are the things that end up determining whether you made a good investment.
Environmental stewardship and emissions compliance continue to receive greater attention. How is FT North America helping operators meet evolving regulatory and sustainability expectations?
Environmental stewardship is a core value at FT. That should be an important factor in making a decision on cremation equipment. FT gives you the peace of mind that comes with knowing you are prepared for changes in regulation or policy that can affect your business in the future.
You’ve spent years working directly with crematory operators across the United States and Canada. What separates the most successful cremation businesses from those that struggle?
The businesses that seem to have the fewest headaches are usually the ones that are willing to invest in quality from the beginning. That doesn’t just mean the cremator itself. It means investing in equipment that’s built to last, maintaining it properly and working with manufacturers that are going to be there long after the installation is complete. In my experience, those decisions tend to pay for themselves over time.
Technology continues to reshape nearly every aspect of funeral service. What innovations in cremation equipment or operations do you believe will have the greatest impact over the next five years?
There are a few things we’re working on that I can’t get into just yet, but I’m excited about where we’re headed. Continued efficiency advancements and analytics are going to continue to be a big focus because that’s what our customers are asking for. They want better information, better insight into how their equipment is performing, and ways to run their operation more efficiently. We’re also spending time looking at electric-powered cremation. It’s a topic that’s coming up more often, and while it’s not the right fit for every customer today, it’s something we think deserves a serious look.
Looking ahead, what are your primary goals as director of business development, and what opportunities do you see for FT North America’s continued growth?
I want FT North America to become the company people think of first when they think about cremation equipment. That’s the goal. We have a great reputation already, but I don’t think we’re anywhere close to our ceiling. If we continue building great equipment, taking care of our customers and investing in innovation, I think there’s a tremendous opportunity to grow.
For funeral homes, cemeteries and crematory operators that may not be familiar with FT North America, what would you want them to know about the company’s mission and approach to customer support?
I’d tell them to talk to our customers … seriously. Any manufacturer can tell you they’re the best. I’d rather let the people who own our equipment do the talking. At the end of the day, we’re trying to build equipment that operators can depend on, and if they need us after the sale, we’re here. That’s not a slogan. It’s just how we do business.
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