Our Company History
Seedorff Masonry Industries Co. (SMIco) began in 1972 with the purchase of a sawmill in Hanover, IL. Just one year later, we expanded by acquiring a pallet plant in Chester, IA—marking the foundation of what would grow into one of the Midwest’s leading pallet manufacturers.
After 17 years of steady growth, we faced a major challenge when a fire destroyed our Chester plant. We moved quickly to rebuild and relocated to Cresco, IA, which remains our headquarters today.
As our business grew, automation became a top priority. In 2000, we purchased our first Viking automated nailing machine, and by 2001, we expanded again by acquiring a local pallet company and converting it into a sawmill division. That sawmill now supplies approximately 60% of the lumber used in our pallet production.
Quality has always been central to our success. In 2004, we achieved our first ISO Certification, which we have continually maintained and updated to the current ISO 9001:2015 standard.
To better serve our customers’ needs, we broadened our capabilities in 2006 by becoming a certified producer of heat-treated wood packaging. That same year, we constructed a new dry kiln to meet ISPM 15 requirements for international shipping and to provide an enhanced product for food suppliers.
In 2007, we added our second Turbo automated nailing machine to support our growing demand. Over the next three years, we further invested in new technology, installing a chipper line at the sawmill and automated stitching machines at the pallet plant.
Our growth continued in 2012 with the construction of an 18,000-square-foot heated warehouse, giving us the ability to store environmentally controlled, just-in-time inventory for our customers. In 2018, we further modernized operations by adding another state-of-the-art Turbo automated nailing machine, improving both speed and consistency in our manufacturing process.
Now, with more than 50 years of service, we remain focused on continuous improvement, innovation, and reliability. Our team at SMIco is united in one goal: to be our customers’ first choice for wood shipping products, delivering the highest quality pallets, packaging, and service in the industry.
After 17 years of steady growth, we faced a major challenge when a fire destroyed our Chester plant. We moved quickly to rebuild and relocated to Cresco, IA, which remains our headquarters today.
As our business grew, automation became a top priority. In 2000, we purchased our first Viking automated nailing machine, and by 2001, we expanded again by acquiring a local pallet company and converting it into a sawmill division. That sawmill now supplies approximately 60% of the lumber used in our pallet production.
Quality has always been central to our success. In 2004, we achieved our first ISO Certification, which we have continually maintained and updated to the current ISO 9001:2015 standard.
To better serve our customers’ needs, we broadened our capabilities in 2006 by becoming a certified producer of heat-treated wood packaging. That same year, we constructed a new dry kiln to meet ISPM 15 requirements for international shipping and to provide an enhanced product for food suppliers.
In 2007, we added our second Turbo automated nailing machine to support our growing demand. Over the next three years, we further invested in new technology, installing a chipper line at the sawmill and automated stitching machines at the pallet plant.
Our growth continued in 2012 with the construction of an 18,000-square-foot heated warehouse, giving us the ability to store environmentally controlled, just-in-time inventory for our customers. In 2018, we further modernized operations by adding another state-of-the-art Turbo automated nailing machine, improving both speed and consistency in our manufacturing process.
Now, with more than 50 years of service, we remain focused on continuous improvement, innovation, and reliability. Our team at SMIco is united in one goal: to be our customers’ first choice for wood shipping products, delivering the highest quality pallets, packaging, and service in the industry.