NECROEXPO 2026 Confirms Its Position as the Leading Funeral Industry Event in Central Europe

Funeral industry professionals travelled even from the United States to attend NECROEXPO in Kielce. The largest funeral-sector event in Central Europe attracted thousands of visitors from Poland and abroad, who spent three days discovering the latest products, services, and technologies showcased by 140 exhibitors from six countries.

The owner of a funeral home from the U.S. state of New Jersey was among the visitors.

“I travelled to Poland specifically for NECROEXPO because I wanted to see which products are popular in Europe and how this market differs from the American one. I am genuinely impressed by this exhibition. Everything is exceptionally well organised, and the standard of the displays is truly remarkable,” she said during the event.

Visitors were able to discover solutions that would have been difficult to imagine at a funeral trade fair just a few years ago — from artificial intelligence-based systems and digital burial services to biodegradable urns, electric hearses, and online memorial pages accessible via QR codes.

Exhibitors: There Is No Longer Any Difference Between Kielce and Europe’s Largest Trade Shows

NECROEXPO 2026 welcomed 140 exhibitors, including 29 companies making their debut.  The exhibition halls featured both long-established market leaders and first-time exhibitors representing virtually every segment of the funeral industry — from coffin and urn manufacturers to suppliers of cremation technologies, IT systems, and funeral home equipment.

According to many exhibitors, the event now matches the standard of Europe’s largest funeral industry exhibitions.

“This year I attended trade fairs in Italy and Spain. When you come to Kielce afterwards, there is no longer any difference. In some areas, we are even one step ahead. This is evident not only in the products on display but also in the organisation of the event and the quality of visitors. NECROEXPO has become an event that simply cannot be missed in the funeral industry calendar,” emphasised Bartosz Rominiecki of Kalfrisa Polska.

Medals Awarded to the Best Products and Technologies

As tradition dictates, the exhibition concluded with the NECROEXPO 2026 Medal Awards Gala. The highest distinctions were granted to products and solutions representing the key development directions of today’s funeral industry.

The winners included both advanced cremation and digital technologies, as well as solutions related to thanatocosmetology, funeral transportation, and premium products.

The NECROEXPO 2026 Medals were awarded to:

• TESSON – for its collection of children’s urns,

• FUNERHURT – for TanatoIn, a preparation used in thanatocosmetology and post-mortem tissue reconstruction,

• WALICKI COMPANY – for a metal coffin,

• TE Kalfrisa Polska – for the Etick Line product range and the KMe3 – Electric Efficiency Ecosystem system,

• FACULTATIEVE TECHNOLOGIES POLSKA – for the FTIV Hybrid cremator,

• BAUTEX – for the Bautex Mini Hearse,

The Expo That Brings Business Together

For years, NECROEXPO has remained a meeting place for manufacturers, service providers, funeral home owners, and industry organisations. For many participants, the conversations, exchange of experience, and business networking opportunities are just as important as the products on display.

“Coming to Kielce is time well invested because you meet valuable and highly diverse companies here, and the atmosphere is excellent and welcoming. We are one big family,” said Iwona Świtkowska of Pathomed.

A tangible example of the event’s business value was the signing of an agreement to purchase a modern cremation furnace. Cooperation between the parties began during the previous edition of NECROEXPO, culminating in a contract finalised during this year’s exhibition at Targi Kielce.

This story demonstrates that discussions initiated at NECROEXPO often continue long after the exhibition halls close, evolving into concrete business projects implemented over many years.

Humanist Ceremonies Presented at NECROEXPO for the First Time

The strongest trend of this year’s exhibition concerned the evolving nature of funeral ceremonies. During her presentation on “A New Dimension of Farewell”, Aneta Dobroch highlighted that more and more families expect ceremonies that tell the story of a loved one’s life through memories, carefully selected music, and a personal narrative. Another lecture on the role of the funeral celebrant, Patrycja Owczarzak, emphasised that today’s celebrant is no longer merely a speaker but also an organiser, advisor, and guide for families during one of life’s most difficult moments.

Demonstration ceremonies organised by the Polish Humanist Celebrants Association, together with accompanying presentations, showed how rapidly family expectations are evolving and how important the individual character of a farewell has become.

The Industry Discussed the Future

The NECROEXPO programme featured dozens of meetings, presentations, and debates devoted to the key challenges facing the funeral market. Discussions covered topics including artificial intelligence, changing family expectations, the growth of cremation, digital legacy after death, new forms of farewell ceremonies, and legal challenges facing funeral businesses.

Once again, the exhibition became a platform for exchanging experiences among entrepreneurs, experts, and industry organisations from Poland and abroad.

See You at NECROEXPO 2028

NECROEXPO remains one of the most important funeral industry events in Central Europe and one of the few exhibitions presenting such a comprehensive range of products, services, and technologies used in the modern funeral sector.

The event was held under the honorary patronage of FIAT-IFTA — one of the world’s most important funeral industry organisations, bringing together members from more than 80 countries.

The next NECROEXPO will take place in 2028 at Targi Kielce.