Supply chain shortages causing grieving families to wait longer for headstones

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - Grieving families dealing with the loss of their loved ones are now facing another problem.

A shortage of granite and other materials is slowing down the production of headstones.

“A lot of it is pretty similar to other industries across the country and the world are experiencing,” said Dustin Anderson, the general manager for the Dakota Monument Company.

He says materials like certain kinds of granite are quarried overseas and getting their hands on it comes with a hefty cost.

“The shipping rate from this time last year is almost three times what it was,” he said.

Anderson says there are US-based options to get granite, but those companies are also dealing with their share of challenges like labor shortages.

This pushes back the amount of time companies in the monument industry can get those materials.

“Normally, it would take about eight weeks to get something, and now it’s closer to five months,” said Anderson.

Getting granite from overseas can take even longer. Anderson says, in some cases, it could be up to a year.

Those delays means families will have to wait a little longer to receive the final piece to properly bury their loved one.

“Be patient. It is coming. It’s taking longer than normal, unfortunately.”

Copyright 2021 KVLY. All rights reserved.