Milne Innovations

Milne Construction Co. was founded on April 1, 1953. In the years of being the leader in the industry, there have been many improvements formulated by the company in its search for a better product and more efficient construction techniques, including the following:

Adoption of Outdoor Mausolea in 1953

The first outdoor mausoleum in Oregon was built at Lincoln Memorial Park in Portland in 1953. Previously only indoor mausolea had been built.

Efficient Floor Plans

Plans were developed including tandem crypts (for two caskets end-to-end) and Westminster crypts (one crypt below finish floor level and one above). Most mausolea constructed before had only single crypts.

Taller Buildings

Six or seven crypt level buildings were designed and built to have better use of the land with more density. Most mausolea up to then were only four crypt level buildings.

Efficient System of Venting Crypts

The Milne-o Vent, a pressure relief system of venting and draining crypts using plastic PVC pipes, was devised. The vents previously were made of lead piping and the cost was ten times as much.

Concrete Pumps

Mechanical pumping of concrete replaced wheeled buggies and cranes, increasing construction efficiency.

Bronze Hangers

Bronze hardware brackets were manufactured, concrete anchors were cast, as well as stainless steel anchor bolts, rosettes and Vandalstop screws were devised to hold the marble or granite crypt shutters. Previously, only stiles and rails were used which made the installation and removal of shutters time consuming and difficult for cemetery personnel.

Vandalstop Screw

The Vandalstop screw fastener secures the rosettes that hold the marble or granite shutter is remanufactured. The standard Vandalstop screw has a special head. Milne improved its security by drilling into the threads of the screw a nylon plug that literally gums up the works.

Slope to Drain

A special screeding system has recently been developed which slopes the crypt floor from three directions toward the PVC drain. Previously, the slope was only to the back of the crypt slab.

Handholds

Polymer handhold blockouts are formed into the crypt walls. The void or pocket created after stripping the crypt form is used by the cemetery worker when placing caskets into crypts above shoulder level were devised to provide an additional margin of safety for the workers.

Polymer Bulkhead Forms

Polymer bulkhead forms create a smooth finish to the concrete for crypt sealers.

International Firm Specializing in Mausoleum Construction

Previously, mausolea were built by local builders. Milne Construction Co. specializes in the construction of mausolea promoting the standardization of construction methods which can be applied internationally.

Milne Westminster Lowering Device

Previously, two workers were required to make a Westminster entombment, often using board and ropes. Today the Milne Company manufactures a lowering device that allows one person to complete an entombment.

ViewFINDER - Facilities Management Tools

ViewFINDER is a multimedia facilities management application for cemeteries and mausolea. This revolutionary technology features a graphically rich user interface combined with sophisticated data entry and management tools, benefiting project managers and sales teams.