OVERLAND PARK, KS – Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. (“Wilbert”) is pleased to announce the acquisition of certain assets of the Continental Casket Company (“Continental”). Based in Watseka, Illinois, Continental is a regional distributor of metal and wood caskets with three warehouses serving funeral professionals in Illinois and areas of Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Missouri. “This transaction supports Wilbert’s continued growth strategy and ongoing investment in complementary products and services benefiting funeral professionals and the families they serve,” stated Mark Bates, President & CEO of Wilbert. “Continental joins Astral Industries, Signet Supply, and Hoffman Burial Supplies which together represent Wilbert’s Casket Division, with further expansion expected.”
“We are excited to complete the acquisition and greatly appreciate the working relationship with Todd Harris and other members of the Continental team. Combining our operations yields a number of synergies for our company and ultimately the funeral professionals we serve,” said Don Robinson, President of Wilbert’s Casket Division. “Continental is a great brand in the mid-west with a history of top quality caskets, unsurpassed customer service, and great value. Going forward, we are committed to enhancing these great characteristics for all of Continental’s customers.”
“We at Continental are pleased to execute this sale with Wilbert. We appreciate Wilbert’s commitment to the funeral industry and firmly believe their Casket Division is the best option for our customers,” stated Todd Harris. “We are committed to ensuring a seamless transition over the coming weeks.”
This transaction demonstrates Wilbert’s ongoing commitment to supporting and investing in the North American funeral industry.
For more information, call (708) 865-1600.
About Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc.
Established in 1880, Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. is a licensor of, and supplier to, independently owned concrete burial vault manufacturers that are licensed to manufacture Wilbert® brand burial vaults under an intellectual property license agreement including the sale of cremation products, vault forms, liners, and other related products to the licensees. The company sells popular funeral industry products directly to funeral home customers through its brands and vast manufacturing and distribution network. The unique wholly owned brands of Wilbert include Pierce, Astral, Signet Supply, Hoffman Burial Supply, Wilbert Memorials, and SI Precast. Through these combined brands Wilbert offers burial vaults, lawn crypts, cemetery services, urns, urn vaults, embalming chemicals, prep room supplies, a large variety of caskets, monuments, and an extensive offering of precast concrete products. Wilbert also provides industry specific educational programs through its remote continuing education offering, WilbertEDU. Further educational involvement is provided by Wilbert’s sponsorship, support, and alignment with Pierce Mortuary Colleges, which rank as three of the top funeral service colleges in America. For more information about Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc., visit www.wilbert.com or call 913.345.2120.
