Manufacturing Standards

Built to a Higher Standard

Every casket that leaves our factory in Guatemala is hand inspected before it ships.

Hardwood Selection

We source premium hardwood species — American Red Oak, American Cherry, American Black Walnut, American Aromatic Red Cedar, American Yellow Pine, American Hickory, American Maple, and South American Mahogany — from verified suppliers with documented chain of custody. All lumber enters our three drying kilns — with a combined capacity of 90,000 board feet — before reaching the manufacturing floor. Every board is inspected for grain consistency, moisture content, and structural integrity before production begins.

Joinery & Construction

Our craftsmen use a proprietary T-form channel system for enhanced structural resistance — superior to standard tongue and groove construction. Custom plastic inserts fit precisely into the T-channels, and all joints are bonded with high-performance Italian adhesives tested for mechanical resistance.

Finishing

Five finish options — Satin, High Gloss, Open Pore, Natural Effect, and Hand-Rubbed — are applied using high-end Italian ILVA/IVM Chemicals varnishes in dedicated, pressurized finishing cabins. Every piece receives a minimum of three coats with machine sanding between layers and a final hand inspection before packaging. We maintain reference samples for every active SKU so that each unit in a container matches the approved sample.

Interior & Hardware

Interior options are – Velvet, Crepe, Basketweave, and Silk — cut, fitted, and secured by hand with no visible staples or adhesive bleed. We offer a wide variety of Head Panels and custom make them as per customers preference. Our hardware is all solid metals, offering – Bronze, Copper, Gold and Silver of the highest quality providing consistency, elegance and safety.

Artisan Craftsmanship & Sustainable Operations

Every Fontana casket is assembled by hand by skilled artisans who have been with us for years — many across multiple generations. Our manufacturing factory in Usumatlán, Zacapa operates select processes using self-generated solar energy, reducing our environmental footprint. We comply fully with Guatemala's occupational health and safety regulations (IGSS), operate zero-discharge finishing cabins, and use certified ILVA/IVM varnishes that meet international environmental standards. Sustainability and craftsmanship are not trade-offs at Fontana — they are part of the same commitment.

Inside Our Facility

Production at Scale

194,000 sq ft of covered manufacturing space. 120+ skilled artisans. 1,200 caskets per month. Every stage — from raw lumber to finished unit — happens under one roof.

01 — The Facility

Our Manufacturing Complex

Wide production floor with industrial conveyors and machinery at Fontana

Exterior panoramic of Fontana lumber kiln and drying facility

Wide view of Fontana manufacturing floor with industrial woodworking machinery and dust extraction systems

Fontana factory floor showing multiple workstations with safety-marked production lanes

Exterior view of three covered lumber storage bays at Fontana

Panoramic view of the Fontana production facility from the mezzanine level

02 — Raw Materials

Lumber Storage & Selection

Tall stacks of raw hardwood in covered storage at Fontana

Hardwood lumber stacks showing red and lighter species in storage

Rows of stacked hardwood lumber in covered indoor storage

Close-up of stacked hardwood boards showing grain and color variation

Large-volume hardwood lumber storage inside the facility

Hardwood inventory showing diverse species selection

Palletized hardwood lumber in covered storage area

Stacked boards of American red oak and walnut in the warehouse

03 — Milling & Machining

Industrial Milling & Precision Cutting

Industrial drill press machine on the production floor

High-speed moulding machine processing hardwood profiles

CNC router shaping casket panel components with precision

Industrial moulding machine cutting decorative wood profiles

Worker operating precision cutting machine on the production line

Pneumatic nailing machine fastening casket frame components

Precision milling station producing casket body panels

Industrial woodworking machinery with lumber stacks in the background

Machining station producing repeated casket components at scale

SCM Morbidelli m100 CNC machining center with digital control panel

Pneumatic press line with multiple casket bodies in simultaneous production

SCM Morbidelli m100 CNC machining center in operation

SCM Morbidelli m100 CNC control panel — eye-M digital interface

Wide milling area with wood processing machines at Fontana

Pneumatic press applying pressure to multiple casket frames simultaneously

04 — Ornamental Turning

Lathe Work & Decorative Elements

Wood lathe turning a casket corner post ornament

Artisan operating lathe — decorative urn-shaped post in progress

Multiple finished turned ornaments staged for quality review

Lathe spinning decorative casket lug — wood shavings visible

05 — Assembly & Joinery

Hand Assembly & Structural Joinery

Stacked finished casket panels ready for body assembly

Casket frame assembly station with multiple units in progress

T-channel joinery system with precision-fit plastic inserts

Worker fitting corner blocks into casket body frame

Artisan hand-assembling casket body joint with technical adhesive

Worker assembling casket body — multiple frames visible on the production floor

Close-up of casket body corner assembly showing tight joinery

Artisan assembling casket lid corner joints by hand

Assembly station showing completed casket bodies lined up for next stage

06 — Sanding & Refinement

Surface Preparation & Hand Finishing

Worker sanding casket side panel — producing smooth pre-finish surface

Close-up of sanding station showing fine detail work on casket moulding

Artisan sanding casket lid with orbital sander — production floor in background

Worker detailing casket moulding edge with hand-sanding block

Worker sanding casket lid surface in preparation for finishing coat

Worker sanding corner of casket lid showing care and attention to detail

Worker hand-sanding finished casket surface after final coat

Final surface inspection under bright light before finishing

07 — Finishing & Painting

Spray Finishing & Stain Application

Spray booth worker applying stain coat in pressurized finishing room

Row of casket bodies on finishing rails after base stain application

Artisan hand-wiping stain onto casket panel to enhance grain depth

Multiple caskets in spray finishing area with overhead rail system

Spray staining in progress — showing wood color transformation from natural to finished

Worker spraying topcoat on walnut casket in enclosed finishing booth

Multiple caskets on overhead finishing rails receiving first stain coat

Finished caskets hanging on industrial spray rails in the finishing area

Caskets on rail transport system moving through the finishing zone

Worker applying second topcoat in pressurized finishing room

Finished cherry and walnut caskets staged after final topcoat

08 — Interior & Upholstery

Fabric Cutting, Sewing & Interior Installation

Industrial sewing machine producing casket interior fabric lining

Artisan cutting and fitting velvet interior panel for casket lid

Worker installing interior lining into casket with no visible staples or adhesive bleed

Finished interior panel with soft pleated fabric ready for installation

09 — Quality Control & Export

Finished Product, Inspection & Shipping

Quality inspection of finished casket before final approval

Two workers moving finished mahogany casket off the production line

Finished caskets staged in inspection area awaiting final review

Worker conducting pre-shipment inspection against approved specification sheet

Finished dark walnut casket with polished bronze hardware in staging area

Exterior view of the Fontana manufacturing complex in Usumatlán, Zacapa

Finished American cherry casket with gold hardware awaiting container loading

Finished cherry casket with hardware installed and interior fitted

Row of finished caskets in different wood species staged for quality review

Worker packing finished casket for export — foam wrap and protective shipping box

Open casket showing completed white satin interior — storage racks in background

Finished high-gloss dark wood casket with gold hardware — pre-shipment inspection

What We Guarantee on Every Container

Customization

Casket color and finishing, hardware shape and color, fabric type and color, are some of the customizations we offer to meet each customer preferences and needs.

Consistent Finished Quality

Every unit in the container matches the approved sample.

Export-grade packaging

Protective foam and corrugated packaging rated for full-container sea freight.

Pre-shipment inspection

100% of units are inspected against the approved spec sheet before loading.

Licenses & Permits

Fully Licensed for International Export

National Forestry Registration

Forestry license authorized and supervised by Guatemala's National Forestry Institute (INAB).

Environmental License

Environmental approval and impact assessment certification for our manufacturing facility.

Export & Import Registration

Full international trade authorization for casket manufacturing and export to the United States and globally.

Precursor Management License

Permit for the controlled handling of finishing chemical precursors used in our varnish application process.

See the quality for yourself

Visit us and come see the Quality with your own eyes.

Request a Volume Quote