Introduction to the Struggles of Monument Makers
For nearly a century, John Dioguardi’s family has been making custom headstones and other memorial markers at Rome Monument in western Pennsylvania. Recently, he’s wondered how much time his business has left. Dioguardi has been trying to adapt for more than a decade as the rise in cremations has hurt demand for the traditional burial markers his business has become synonymous with. This year, they’ve been dealt another blow: President Donald Trump’s broad and steep tariffs, which have driven up costs for granite coming to American graveyards from around the world.
The Impact of Tariffs on the Monument Industry
Dioguardi said bringing production to the U.S. would likely still be more expensive — even with new tariffs — due to higher labor costs. There’s another simple reason to look internationally: Some types of granite, like the multi-colored aurora found in India, come only from certain regions abroad. Trump’s levies have altered the bottom lines in the industry, leaving businesses struggling with how to mitigate the additional costs. In September 2024, Milano Monuments’ Jim Milano paid around 29% custom duties and taxes on a container coming in from China to his Cleveland-based business. A year later, that rate nearly doubled to 59%.
A Changing Business Landscape
Even before the tariffs ramped up, the industry was busy reorienting itself for a future with fewer traditional burials. The U.S.’ five-year cremation rate has surged to more than 60% in 2024, up from under 40% a decade and a half prior, according to the Cremation Association of North America. The organization expects more than two out of every three bodies will be cremated in an average year between 2025 and 2029. Dioguardi has considered expanding the work radius around his Pennsylvania headquarters to buoy demand for grave site products, a broader trend which he said has prompted a wave of acquisitions within the industry.
Adapting to the New Reality
Dioguardi has worked on less conventional monuments: Dioguardi recently helped a cemetery install a “rainbow bridge” memorial that contains the ashes of pets. “Cremation has changed our business tremendously,” Dioguardi said. “It’s created new opportunities. It has closed some other doors.” If monument builders need to raise prices to account for tariffs, Milano worries it could push more consumers to opt for cremations. Beyond granite, he said levies on production materials have also taken a bite out of profits.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
Dioguardi said his family operation should be on solid ground for another decade, but he questions if it can exist in its current state beyond that. At the same time, the 75-year-old knows that the fate of the business is married in part to whether people want their loved ones to have any sort of memorialization. When comparing the pyramids the Egyptians opted for to today’s trend of having ashes spread somewhere without a marker, Dioguardi isn’t exactly confident. Part of the challenge, he and other industry veterans say, is proving that any sort of memorial product is worth the investment. For more information on this topic, you can read the full article Here
Smart Tip for Readers
When planning for a loved one’s memorialization, consider the long-term costs and benefits of different options, including traditional burials and cremations, to make an informed decision that suits your needs and budget. Additionally, researching local monument makers and their experiences with tariffs and industry changes can provide valuable insights into the decision-making process.
