Location/Region: Santa Fe, NM
Industry: Death Care
Apps implemented: Manufacturing, Inventory, Sales
Software
Replaced: Multiple disconnected software
Company size: 24
Hosting type: Odoo Online
At the intersection of innovation and compassion, Parting Stone has pioneered a new form of human and animal remains: a collection of stones instead of ashes. Behind the scenes of this transformative death care solution is Odoo, the customizable software that powers every step of Parting Stone’s unique and sensitive solidification process.
Founded by Justin Crowe, the company is revolutionizing how families connect with their loved ones after cremation. Rather than receiving ashes, which many find messy and emotionally challenging, families are offered solidified remains, smooth objects resembling a collection of stones that provide a tactile and beautiful alternative. Each person’s remains are transformed into 40 to 80 stones, giving families the chance to hold, share, and memorialize in a meaningful way.
The company was born from Justin’s personal experience following his grandfather’s death. Conversations with friends revealed that storing cremated remains in closets, garages, or even car trunks was surprisingly common. This discovery inspired the question: what if remains could be beautiful, touchable, and emotionally accessible? That vision became Parting Stone.
"We see this new form of remains as a canvas for memorial experiences, something comforting, beautiful, and shareable.”
Before Odoo: Rapid Growth and Slow-to-scale Techs
In a field as sensitive as death care, one of Parting Stone’s top concerns was ensuring a secure, transparent chain of custody for every decedent. The company had started designing an internal system to support this process, but the lack of a unified, scalable platform posed challenges as demand grew.
They experimented with other software and considered traditional MRP systems, but nothing fit their unique needs. Off-the-shelf products lacked the flexibility required to support a newly invented process. The team needed a solution that could evolve with their business while maintaining precise tracking and communication.
"There simply weren’t any off-the-shelf solutions built for what we were doing. We invented a brand-new process, and Odoo offered the flexibility to match it."
The Platform That Elevated Every Touchpoint
Parting Stone discovered Odoo during an independent search for a system that could be tailored to their groundbreaking service. What made Odoo stand out was its adaptable architecture, especially in the Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) module.
Once implemented, Odoo quickly became the cornerstone of Parting Stone’s production operations.
First: It enabled secure, barcode-based chain-of-custody for tracking (a non-negotiable feature for building family trust). Now, every step of the multi-phase solidification process is traceable and transparent. Parting Stone’s chain-of-custody technology is now one of the most sophisticated in the U.S. for tracing cremated remains.
Second: The company used Odoo to set up automated family communication. As a decedent’s remains progress through production milestones, Parting Stone sends updates that reassure grieving families. This feature alone has elevated the customer experience and deepened emotional trust.
Third: Scalability has been seamless. Parting Stone grew from processing just a handful of orders each month to hundreds. Odoo has kept pace, supporting complex workflows without disrupting service or quality.
Fourth: Odoo has helped Parting Stone analyze output times and identify bottlenecks. The team can now refine their production process continuously, leading to faster turnaround times, improved throughput, and better customer satisfaction.
Fifth: As new equipment and techniques were introduced, Odoo’s MRP module proved highly adaptable. The software evolves alongside the production process, eliminating the need for costly system overhauls.
"Odoo has grown with us, from processing a few solidified remains orders a month to now hundreds. It’s helped us build, scale, and refine our process in a way no other system could."
Coming up
Parting Stone is preparing for its next major milestone: the launch of a Pre-Need program in mid-2025. This offering will allow individuals to pre-select and prepay for the solidified remains service, relieving their families of decision-making during moments of grief.
The program will involve securely held funds in trust until needed. At that point, the remains will be received and processed, tracked entirely through Odoo’s infrastructure. It’s a natural evolution of their model and one that extends the emotional comfort they already provide to tens of thousands of families.
Earlier this year, Parting Stone celebrated serving its 10,000th family, all of whom were supported by Odoo’s technology. As the company continues to scale, Odoo remains central to its operations.
Parting Stone’s journey proves that even the most sensitive industries can thrive with the right technology. Odoo's customizable MRP tools enabled them to scale a process no one had built before, while keeping compassion at the core. If your organization is pioneering a new product or service and needs a system that can grow and adapt with you, Odoo could be the platform that powers your next chapter.
