Manufacturer of weighing systems locates in Fernley By Northern Nevada Development Authority
CARSON CITY, Nev. (Feb. 23, 2012) — Northern Nevada Development Authority (NNDA) assisted Rice Lake Weighing Systems, a manufacturer of heavy capacity truck scales, in securing state incentives for sales and use tax abatement and deferral, modified business tax abatement and Train Employees Now grant funding.
The company recently purchased a 29,700 square foot facility in Fernley, Nev., and has hired nearly all of its 27 positions locally, primarily welders, painters and other skilled positions, and anticipates adding another five or more employees by the end of the first year.
In addition to their Wisconsin and Alabama facilities, the new Nevada location will be their first footprint on the West Coast. The corporate headquarters, metrology laboratory and main manufacturing plant will remain in Rice Lake, Wis., with other interests and holdings in Canada, Mexico, Europe and India.
The company became a world leader in weight related technology, serving a wide spectrum of industries such as: bulk construction materials; chemical, food and beverage processing; timber, pulp and paper manufacturing; pharmaceuticals; transport and logistics; and utilities and waste, just to name a few. The company offers over 35,000 weighing, control, data collection and communication products with over 1M items in stock, available for same- or next-day delivery.
“It is very important to maintain our standard for delivery and customer service. We wanted this new location to be more central to our West Coast customers,” explained Mark Johnson, Jr., vice president of Rice Lake. “NNDA ultimately helped us decide on Nevada, and we are very excited about the business climate and future expansion possibilities.”
Governor Brian Sandoval added, “As Governor, I have made it a priority to create a warm and friendly business environment that provides opportunities for businesses. Nevada welcomes Rice Lake Weighing Systems and their staff to northern Nevada. My congratulations go to Tom Miller and staff of Miller Industrial Properties, Rob Hooper and the staff at NNDA, Mayor LeRoy Goodman and the City of Fernley, and others who helped in the process for a job well done.”
Rob Hooper, executive director of NNDA noted, “Tom Miller, the team lead representing the NNDA private – public collaboration process, took the reins and was primarily responsible for ensuring the success of the Rice Lake expansion into northern Nevada. NNDA’s system taps the expertise of its professional member’s specific expertise in their fields of experience and utilizes those skills to assist NNDA’s handling of its clients’ needs. This approach adds a new dimension to the level of service provided and significantly streamlines the move-in process. Using this operational model has been very successful and is yet another testament to how efficiently and quickly we can respond with a focus on meeting every client’s needs.”
Brad Woodring, NV Energy’s Economic Development Manager added, “In closing the transaction with Rice Lake Weighing Systems, Rob Hooper and his volunteer team at the NNDA did a fantastic job. Each member of the team followed through on their assignment to address the needs of Rice Lake, now a quality business member of northern Nevada. As one of the volunteer partners, NV Energy had the pleasure to work with this great Wisconsin company. We look forward as always to assisting NNDA in attracting new business to our region.”
Rice Lake Weighing Systems has been part of Mark Johnson Jr.’s family since his grandfather, Donald B. Johnson, helped found the company in 1946. Throughout the business’s 65 year history, it’s grown from a small-scale service shop to modern-day manufacturer. Today, Rice Lake’s products can be found in more than 80 countries, sold and supported through the largest network of independent scale dealers in the world.
To learn more about Rice Lake Weighing Systems, visit www.ricelake.com.
To learn more about NNDA and the open source economic development process, call 775-883-4413, visit online at www.nnda.org or email nnda@nnda.org.
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NNDA’s mission is to facilitate the recruitment of new business and industry and the retention and expansion of existing businesses. NNDA’s vision is to secure an abundant and sustainable economy for Nevada where all residents have the opportunity to grow in prosperity and realize their financial goals.
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