Rice Lake Weighing Systems
Rice Lake Weighing Systems is a privately held American manufacturer of industrial weighing, scale, and process-control equipment.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Rice Lake Weighing Systems is an American industrial measurement and weighing-equipment company headquartered in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Its business centers on the design, manufacture, distribution, service, and support of scales and weighing systems used in commercial, industrial, agricultural, transportation, logistics, manufacturing, and process-control applications. The company is ISO 9001 certified and operates a primary manufacturing facility and an NVLAP-accredited metrology laboratory at its Wisconsin headquarters. The company traces its origins to 1945, when Donald B. Johnson and Warren Thomas established Thomas & Johnson Scale Service in St. Paul, Minnesota. The founders moved the operation to Rice Lake, Wisconsin, in 1946. The local economy offered a practical customer base for scale servicing because of the area's dairies, creameries, and railroads. The business initially focused on scale service, but its capabilities broadened over time. In 1971, it adopted the name Rice Lake Bearing Inc. as it began providing refurbishing services for pivots and bearings. In 1981, Donald B. Johnson and his son Mark became the company's sole owners. The business adopted the Rice Lake Weighing Systems name in 1986, reflecting its development beyond servicing and component refurbishment into a broader weighing-systems manufacturer. Rice Lake's product and service scope includes industrial scales, truck scales, electronic weighing instruments, process-control equipment, load cells and related instrumentation, crane scales, tension dynamometers, belt scales, and systems for material handling, batching, and blending. Its solutions serve a wide range of industries, including agriculture, food and beverage processing, forestry, pharmaceuticals, retail, transportation, logistics, and waste management. The company's offering therefore spans both individual weighing components and integrated systems intended to support industrial measurement, inventory control, production processes, and commercial transactions. Its manufacturing and support footprint expanded through acquisitions and new facilities. The company acquired Powell Scale in 2005, adding a Jasper, Alabama, operation used for expanded production of truck scales and other heavy-capacity products. A Fernley, Nevada, facility was established in 2011 as a western manufacturing hub for similar heavy-capacity equipment. In 2012, Rice Lake acquired Measurement Systems International, whose Kent, Washington, operation added industrial electronic scales, crane scales, tension dynamometers, and other load-monitoring instrumentation. In 2013, Rice Lake acquired Dutch belt-scale manufacturer Master Engineering, strengthening its European product and support capabilities. International activities include Rice Lake de Mexico in Monterrey, which provides sales, service, and training support in Latin America, and Rice Lake Weighing Systems Europe B.V. in Heteren, the Netherlands, which distributes and supports Rice Lake products for European customers. Rice Lake Weighing Systems India Ltd. operates as a joint venture with Strategic Weighing Systems Limited and offers electronic weighing systems, material-handling systems, and batching and blending solutions. In Brazil, Rice Lake and Fefa Sensores established a distribution arrangement supporting local sales, warehousing, service, and customer support from São Paulo. The company also includes specialized operations such as Mattson Spray Equipment, Rice Lake Custom Machining, and Intruder. Its workforce-development activities include a multilevel welding program supported by a grant from Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development, as well as a regional summer internship program serving high-school and college students. The reference material identifies Rice Lake Weighing Systems as the largest employer in the city of Rice Lake, with more than 600 employees. Overall, the brand is positioned as a vertically capable, industrial-focused weighing and measurement provider with manufacturing, metrology, service, training, and international distribution capabilities.
History
Rice Lake Weighing Systems began in 1945 as Thomas & Johnson Scale Service, founded in St. Paul, Minnesota, by Donald B. Johnson and Warren Thomas. The company moved to Rice Lake, Wisconsin, in 1946. The relocation placed the business near dairies, creameries, and railroads, all of which generated demand for scale installation, maintenance, and repair. The company expanded its technical scope in 1971, when it became Rice Lake Bearing Inc. and began refurbishing pivots and bearings. This change reflected a move from a narrowly defined scale-service operation toward a broader industrial support and equipment business. In 1981, Donald B. Johnson and his son Mark became the company's sole owners. Five years later, in 1986, the company adopted the name Rice Lake Weighing Systems, a name that emphasized its growing focus on complete weighing systems rather than only service work or individual mechanical components. Rice Lake subsequently developed a wider manufacturing and distribution footprint. Its Rice Lake headquarters became the location of the corporate office, primary manufacturing operation, and an NVLAP-accredited metrology laboratory. The company acquired Powell Scale in 2005, adding a Jasper, Alabama, facility focused on expanding manufacturing of truck scales and other heavy-capacity products. In 2011, it established a facility in Fernley, Nevada, as a western manufacturing hub for truck scales and related high-capacity equipment. In 2012, Rice Lake acquired Measurement Systems International. The Kent, Washington, operation broadened the company's range of industrial electronic scales, crane scales, tension dynamometers, and load-monitoring instrumentation. In 2013, Rice Lake acquired Master Engineering, a Dutch belt-scale manufacturer. That transaction supported the creation of a stronger European distribution and customer-support base through Rice Lake Weighing Systems Europe B.V. in Heteren, the Netherlands. The company also developed international support operations and partnerships. Rice Lake de Mexico, based in Monterrey, provides sales, service, and training support for Latin America. Rice Lake Weighing Systems India Ltd. is a joint venture with Strategic Weighing Systems Limited and supplies electronic weighing systems, material-handling systems, and batching and blending solutions. In Brazil, Rice Lake and Fefa Sensores established a distribution arrangement that provides local warehousing, service, and customer support from São Paulo. Rice Lake's industrial scope covers agriculture, food and beverage processing, forestry, pharmaceuticals, retail, transportation, logistics, and waste. Its product portfolio includes industrial and electronic scales, truck scales, process-control equipment, belt scales, crane scales, tension dynamometers, and systems used for material handling, batching, and blending. The company also operates or includes specialized divisions such as Mattson Spray Equipment, Rice Lake Custom Machining, and Intruder. Workforce development has been another documented part of the company's activities. Rice Lake received a $78,795 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development for a multilevel welding program intended to train 53 incumbent workers and 38 new hires. It also operates a substantial summer internship program for high-school and college students, with approximately 40 to 60 interns participating annually according to the reference material. Rice Lake is described as the largest employer in the city of Rice Lake, with more than 600 employees. Its historical development is therefore characterized by geographic expansion, acquisitions, diversification from service into manufacturing, and the construction of an international support network around industrial weighing and measurement.
- 2013
Master Engineering is acquired
[1]The Dutch belt-scale manufacturer becomes part of Rice Lake's European manufacturing and support network.
- 2012
Measurement Systems International is acquired
[1]The transaction expands Rice Lake's electronic weighing and load-monitoring capabilities.
- 2011
Fernley, Nevada, facility is established
[1]A western manufacturing hub is created for truck scales and other heavy-capacity products.
- 2005
Powell Scale is acquired
[1]Rice Lake adds a Jasper, Alabama, facility supporting truck-scale and heavy-capacity-product manufacturing.
- 1986
The Rice Lake Weighing Systems name is adopted
[1]The company changes its name to reflect its broader weighing-systems business.
- 1981
Donald B. Johnson and Mark Johnson become sole owners
[1]Ownership passes to Donald B. Johnson and his son Mark.
- 1971
The business becomes Rice Lake Bearing Inc.
[1]The company begins refurbishing pivots and bearings as part of its expansion beyond conventional scale servicing.
- 1946
Operations move to Rice Lake
[1]The company relocates to Rice Lake, Wisconsin, where local dairies, creameries, and railroads provide demand for scale services.
- 1945
Thomas & Johnson Scale Service is founded
[1]Donald B. Johnson and Warren Thomas establish a scale-service business in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Products and positioning
A privately held, industrial-focused weighing and measurement systems provider combining manufacturing, metrology, engineering, refurbishment, distribution, service, and training capabilities.
Heavy-capacity weighing systems
Truck scales
Rice Lake manufactures truck scales and other heavy-capacity weighing equipment for transportation, logistics, agriculture, waste, and industrial applications. Production is supported by facilities in Jasper, Alabama, and Fernley, Nevada, in addition to the company's wider manufacturing network.
Industrial weighing equipment
Industrial electronic scales
Industrial electronic scales form a core part of the company's measurement portfolio. These products support weighing and monitoring requirements across manufacturing, agriculture, food processing, pharmaceuticals, logistics, retail, and other industrial settings.
Material-flow measurement
Belt scales
Rice Lake supplies belt-scale solutions for measuring material moving through conveying operations. The company's European capabilities were strengthened through the acquisition of Dutch belt-scale manufacturer Master Engineering in 2013.
Load-monitoring instrumentation
Crane scales and tension dynamometers
Crane scales and tension dynamometers are part of the load-monitoring portfolio associated with the Measurement Systems International operation in Kent, Washington. They are intended for industrial lifting, tension, and load-measurement applications.
Process automation and material handling
Process-control and batching systems
The company provides process-control equipment and systems for material handling, batching, and blending. These capabilities connect weighing data with industrial production and handling workflows, including applications in processing and manufacturing.
Brand decisions
2013
Acquisition of Master EngineeringM&ABackground
Rice Lake pursued greater European manufacturing, distribution, and support capability.
Action taken
The company acquired Master Engineering, a Dutch belt-scale manufacturer.
Aftermath
The transaction supported Rice Lake Weighing Systems Europe B.V. and its European customer-support network.
2012
Acquisition of Measurement Systems InternationalM&ABackground
Rice Lake expanded beyond conventional scale manufacturing into a broader range of electronic weighing and load-monitoring instrumentation.
Action taken
The company acquired Measurement Systems International and retained its Kent, Washington, operation.
Aftermath
Rice Lake's portfolio gained industrial electronic scales, crane scales, tension dynamometers, and related load-monitoring products.
2005
Acquisition of Powell ScaleM&ABackground
Rice Lake sought to expand its production capacity for truck scales and other heavy-capacity products.
Action taken
The company acquired Powell Scale and used its Jasper, Alabama, facility as part of the manufacturing network.
Aftermath
The acquisition added a southeastern United States manufacturing location and supported heavy-capacity product expansion.
- Expansion of workforce-development programsStrategy
Background
The company invested in skilled manufacturing labor and entry-level talent development.
Action taken
Rice Lake developed a multilevel welding program with support from a $78,795 Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development grant and maintained a large summer internship program.
Aftermath
The welding program was designed to train incumbent workers and new hires, while the internship program provided practical experience to approximately 40 to 60 high-school and college students annually.
Workforce-development grant. $78,795 grant awarded
Recent events
- 2013
Rice Lake acquires Master Engineering[1]
M&A
The acquisition of the Dutch belt-scale manufacturer strengthened Rice Lake's European distribution and technical-support presence.
- 2012
Rice Lake acquires Measurement Systems International[1]
M&A
The acquisition expanded Rice Lake's capabilities in industrial electronic scales, crane scales, tension dynamometers, and load-monitoring instrumentation through the Kent, Washington, operation.
- 2011
Rice Lake establishes Fernley manufacturing facility[1]
Other
Rice Lake established a Nevada manufacturing hub to support truck scales and other heavy-capacity products for western markets.
- 2005
Rice Lake Weighing Systems acquires Powell Scale[1]
M&A
The acquisition added Powell Scale's Jasper, Alabama, facility to Rice Lake's manufacturing network and supported expanded production of truck scales and other heavy-capacity products.
Rice Lake receives workforce-development grant for welding program[1]
Other
The company received a $78,795 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development to develop a multilevel welding-skills program for incumbent workers and new hires.
Sources1 sources
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