In 1952, the R.F. Seeburger Company was founded by Bob Seeburger, a visionary who foresaw an evolution in the furniture industry. Realizing there would be a need for additional suppliers, Bob began to build relationships that offered mutual advantages to the supplier and customer.

In 1958, SEEMAC, Inc. was established—the result of an alliance between Seeburger and Paul McCracken, CEO of Tumac Lumber Co., a Pacific Northwest lumber firm. The company focused solely on the furniture industry, supplying hardwood components for furniture and kitchen cabinet manufacturers throughout the Midwest. The company quickly expanded its product offerings, adding components such as particleboard, medium density fiberboard (MDF) and more. While SEEMAC and Tumac Lumber Company ended their financial association years ago, Paul McCracken continued to serve on SEEMAC’s board of directors until 2011.

SEEMAC continued to evolve to meet customer needs and expanded to encompass:

• A North American customer base
• A global supply network
• A comprehensive array of products
• A growing list of value-added services

In 2006, SEEMAC took another giant step forward, merging with Nickander Associates, a premier independent wood products sales and inventory management company. The merger further diversified SEEMAC’s business, increased product offerings and penetration into new markets, and expanded the scope of operations with additional sales force and nationwide warehousing capabilities.

The SEEMAC inventory management model has proven to be an industry-changer. With the SEEMAC team managing inventory and logistics, customers quickly realized the benefits:

• Reduced overhead means better pricing.
• Eliminated guesswork means customers get the products they need, when they need them.
• Maintaining warehouse space near our customers means more convenience.
• Selling inventory on consignment means more efficiency on both sides of the supply chain.

Today, SEEMAC, headquartered in Carmel, IN, brings more than 70 years of experience, knowledge, and service to the marketplace. Our quality products, innovative sales, efficient distribution and “virtual warehousing,” and global resources continue to deliver outstanding benefits to both customers as well as our supplier partners. 

From raw materials to finished parts, no other company does everything SEEMAC does. We are constantly evolving, always looking for new ways to get the job done and provide added value to our customers and suppliers.

Bob Seeburger

Co-founder of SEEMAC, Bob’s roots were embedded in the furniture manufacturing industry in Dubois County, Indiana. He earned his engineering degree from Purdue University. After serving his second tour in the army, having served in World War II and the Korean War, he returned to Indiana and started the R.F. Seeburger Company in 1952.

Bob was fiercely loyal to his employees, customers, and suppliers. He took great pride in the fact that his values of professionalism, honesty, and hard work were reflected in his company’s reputation. Under Bob’s guidance, SEEMAC became recognized as a company that produced successful results, solutions to problems, and cost-saving ideas.

Bob believed that good business is built through good relationships. Which is why SEEMAC remains a company focused on building long-term relationships with our customers and suppliers. We are focused on earning the trust of our customers and suppliers every day.

When Bob Seeburger passed away in 1993, he left a legacy that we at SEEMAC work very hard every day to maintain.

Paul McCracken

Paul McCracken co-founded SEEMAC in 1971 over a decade after founding the Tumac Lumber Company, based in Portland, OR. Tumac is a wholesale wood products company that currently has offices in North America, Asia, and Europe. Paul once described Tumac as being a “wood merchant,” and experts in the art of buying and selling wood.

He was a true environmentalist. Paul owned over 1000 acres of timberland on the Oregon coast where he operated the timberland as a tree farm. He was a past department head of the Oregon Wildlife and Fisheries and past chairman of the North American Wholesale Lumber Association (NAWLA) and was the recipient of the John J. Mulrooney Award in 1998.

Paul was a very unique human being. He gave people his undivided attention, and had a way of making everyone who spoke to him feel special. His keen intellect and quiet demeanor were attributes that commanded one’s attention.

Paul passed away in 2011. His legacy, and contributions to the forest products industry, will certainly endure for generations.

Gary Nickander

Gary Nickander joined the Navy in the summer of 1952 and served on the USS Hancock for 4 years, receiving an honorable discharge in 1956. Gary then got his formal education at the University of Minnesota, graduating with a degree in Wood Technology Engineering. In 1982 he founded Nickander Associates, a wholesale wood products company. Decades later, he helped craft the merger of Nickander Associates and SEEMAC.

The deep respect Gary earned in the wood products industry is a result of the way he treats people—honestly, graciously, and generously. His business success can be attributed to the strong business relationships he developed over the years, and his thorough understanding of the role of an independent sales company within the wood products industry. He preaches, “we are in the people business, and people want to do business with people they like.”

Gary is always quick with a humorous story and a generous gesture. He remains active with a few favorite charities, with his family, and he still serves on the board of directors of SEEMAC.

Tom Kohlmeier

Tom Kohlmeier spent more than 40 years helping to turn SEEMAC into the trusted global company it is today. He started as a salesman in 1974, and over the course of four decades has held all the highest management positions at SEEMAC—executive vice president, president, chief executive officer, and chairman of the board.

Under Tom’s leadership, SEEMAC followed its core vision and maintained the values of integrity and respect. He led SEEMAC to significant global growth and expansion. In spite of market fluctuations and industry changes, Tom made sure the company remained true to the service-driven, value-added reputation SEEMAC has always been known for.

Following his retirement in 2016, Tom continues to hold a seat on SEEMAC’s board of directors, and maintains an office at SEEMAC headquarters. He offers strategic direction and mentoring to professionals in expanding industries—leveraging his experience at SEEMAC to help others navigate new leadership roles and expansion. Tom also enjoys writing, and recently published his first novel.