Wilbert Vault & Burial Company, owned by Joseph B. Beidler, was given approval July 18 by Whitehall Township Zoning Hearing Board to establish a crematory at 213 Catasauqua Ave., Fullerton.

Beidler said his business, which provides casket vaults, grave site opening and closing services, and chairs and tents for memorials, is located in proximity to two cemeteries. He added he has seen an uptick in cremations along with requests for such services.

The company, which has been in business for more than four decades, is located in an industrial-zoned district.

No one was present at the zoning meeting to object to Beidler’s request. Jay Gilbert, of Gilbert Funeral Home, Fullerton, provided testimony in support of Beidler’s crematory plans.

The cremation process is “respectful and dignified,” Beidler and Gilbert said.

Beidler provided detailed information on the proposed crematory, testifying it is a self-contained unit that will stand 22 feet long, 6 feet wide and 8 feet high. A reinforced steel stack will be 10 feet tall and vented 5 feet above the roof line.

The unit will emit only heat, not chemicals, and water vapor might be viewed from the steel stack at times.

He said the crematory must be monitored as it heats to nearly 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. A cremation takes approximately two hours, he added.

No signage will be erected to note the building is a crematory.

While there are few crematories in the region, Beidler said Arlington Memorial Park, MacArthur Road and Lehigh Street, Whitehall, has a large tower that serves as a crematory.