Wilbert Innovation Timeline
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1880
Leo Haase introduces 2-Piece Concrete Vault.
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1930
Wilbert Haase invents asphalt-lined
concrete burial vault.
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1936
Personalization of the burial vault is introduced with decorative insignias for groups such as the American Legion and the Knights of Columbus.
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1937
Cremation vaults are introduced.
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1938
The WilbertWay® vault handling device is patented.
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1949
A copper lined vault is introduced, later
becoming part of the Wilbert Triune® line.
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1958
Electricity is used for a prototype WilbertWay vault handling device that also lowers the casket.
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1967
Wilbert introduces the industry's first plastic-lined burial vaults, the Monticello® and Continental®, replacing the traditional asphalt-lined vault.
Unidex®, the material used to bond the plastic liner to the concrete is also innovative in that it further adds strength and protection to the concrete.
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1970
The Universal Marbelon urn vault is developed,
a combination urn and vault.
Wilbert adds the Stainless Steel Triune®
vault to the product line.
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1975
The Venetian® vault is introduced, using Marbelon plastic material to resemble Venetial marble.
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1982
The WilbertWay Casket Lowering Device is developed to combine with the WilbertWay Vault Lowering Device, allowing one process to lower the casket into the vault, seal the vault and lower the entire casket vault into the grave.
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1988
The Wilbert Bronze® premiers as the
top-of-the-line burial vault.
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1990
The Bronze Triune®
completes the Triune collection.
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1994
A new line of concrete cremation urn vault is developed, mirroring the vault product line: Monticello, Venetian, Stainless Steel, Triune, Copper Triune & Bronze Triune.
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1996
The feminine-oriented Cameo Rose®
Triune vault and urn is introduced.
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2002
Vault personalization is expanded with the ability to affix personal photos, symbols, images and other graphics of meaning to the deceased and the family.
The Wilbert Foundation is established to provide grants to help children cope with grief & death.
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2011
Wilbert Display Animation interactive monitors are introduced for funeral home selection rooms to help objectively educate families on burial vaults.
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2012
Commemorating First Responders is launched, a program that donates a personalized Stainless Steel Triune vault, or a cremation urn and SST urn vault, for a fallen first responder.
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