Four generations of memorial craftsmanship in Carman, Manitoba.
Our History
Joseph Billing began his career in the monument industry at the age of 14 in New Market, Ontario. He apprenticed under a Scottish stone cutter/memorialist for 7 years. Joseph first set up his memorial business in Morden, Mb. in 1894. From Morden, he went to Grafton, N.D., back to Ontario, finally settling in Carman, Mb. in 1920. He took over the Carman memorial business in 1922 from his uncle, Howard Patchell who had purchased it from Alec McIntyre.
Joseph continued to operate Carman Granite until 1946, when his eyesight became too poor to continue. His son, Howard Billing, joined him that year and purchased the business in 1947. Howard ran the business in its original location in downtown Carman until 1975. However after being flooded 8 times in 11 years (the last being the major town flood of 1974) the vacant Carman Creamery building was purchased & moved to our present location, 1 km south of Carman.
In 1984, Howard’s son, Murray purchased Carman Granite. They worked together through 1985.
Thereafter, Howard remained a key consultant, mentor and historian until his passing in 2001. As the business grew, equipment improvements and space requirements did the same. The first hydraulic crane was purchased in 1988, followed by a second in 1991. Also in 1991 Carman Granite entered the computer era with the acquisition of MonuCad. This program has streamlined production as well as added over 15,000 designs for our customers to choose from. In 1992 an electric overhead crane was installed in the shop. The shop was both renovated and expanded in 1992. In 2000, a new garage and pole shed were built. The latest addition was the south shop which was built in 2024, which now hosts all countertop production.
Today
Today, Carman Granite is a premier, fourth-generation family business based just south of Carman, Manitoba, with over 103 years of expertise in the stone industry. Under the current leadership of Sean Billing, who bought the business in 2008, the company has successfully evolved from its roots as a local monument shop into a high-capacity fabrication facility. To better serve its growing clientele, the company has recently expanded, opening a dedicated sales office in Altona. Despite this growth, Carman Granite remains deeply rooted in the family-owned morals it was founded on, maintaining a steadfast commitment to "honesty and fair" pricing and the personalized community trust that only a century-old family legacy can provide.
The business currently specializes in two primary sectors: memorial craftsmanship and custom countertops. On the memorial side, they design, craft, and install custom cemetery headstones and markers using durable granites sourced from around the world. Simultaneously, the company has significantly expanded its fabrication capabilities to provide high-quality commercial and residential countertops. Utilizing both granite and quartz, they provide precision-cut surfacing for large-scale business projects as well as home kitchens and bathrooms. By blending modern technology with a traditional, values-driven approach, Carman Granite remains a leading regional provider for both permanent tributes and professional stone installations.