Overtime for French coffin industry as COVID-19 deaths surge

It's a grim truth that times are good for the coffin business when they're bad for people, and the coronavirus pandemic is no exception. At a factory belonging to Europe's largest coffin maker, OGF, in eastern France, workers are doing overtime to meet demand from families parting with their loved ones.

"Due to the epidemic, we decided to manufacture just four models of coffins that are top sellers with families" compared to the 15 types usually on offer, said factory director Emmanuel Garret. The change "allowed us to optimize production", he added.

Output has risen to 410 coffins per day, compared to 370 normally. Workers are putting in nearly an extra hour per day. "People have been forewarned and are ready to come in and work on Saturdays," said Didier Pidancet, who heads up the team that selects the wood for the coffins.

France has been one of the countries worst hit by the coronavirus. "We're proud to be participating in this national effort, we're doing our best to ensure that victims can have their final overcoat, as we say," added Pidancet.

Founded in 1910, the factory in the town of Jussey originally produced wood charcoal and flooring. At the outset of World War II, it began to specialize in making coffins. It is now part of the OGF Group, which has two factories including the one at Jussey, and makes one in four coffins used in France.

The 10 hectares (25 acres) site is responsible for the entire process of producing coffins. It strips the logs, cuts then dries the wood, which is eventually crafted and assembled into coffins. The wood, mostly oak, comes from local forests.

While temporarily cutting back on the number of models, the factory has made another adjustment: it has been making larger coffins. "Orders for larger sizes are up a bit," said Garret, although he declined to draw a link to reports that COVID-19 mortality rates are higher for overweight people.