It’s official: Morrison Weighing Systems of Milan, Illinois, is the business moving to the University of Iowa Research Park’s vacant building at 2300 Oakdale Boulevard, Coralville.
Wynn Feddema, co-owner and president of the company, said, “We’re hoping to break ground in the next month or two.” The company is now in the site planning process, with land surveys, architectural drawings and engineering.
He posted about the move on LinkedIn on May 15, writing, “We’re moving to Iowa! Last week we closed on a 4.5 acre property with an existing office building!”
Mr. Feddema said that Morrison Weighing Systems is nearing the end of a 60-year land lease in Illinois and has quadrupled its revenue in the last eight years. The company, which started in the home of his grandparents in Morrison, Ill., manufactures custom automated weighing and labeling equipment for large food processors and other manufacturers.
The planning process
The Coralville City Council incentivized the company’s relocation to the former site of Visual Diagnostics by offering $205,000 in incremental tax assistance for the purpose of expanding the existing facility at the research park. The company plans to expand the current 7,242-square-foot facility with 5,000-square-foot and 6,000-square-foot additions for production and testing.
Coralville’s council passed a resolution Dec. 9, 2025 that approved a redevelopment and forgivable loan agreement with the company. Under the proposal, the company would move its operations to the University of Iowa Research Park, creating 14 jobs with an average annual salary of $70,000.
To guarantee repayment of the incremental tax revenues outlined in the agreement, the company must also agree to a minimum assessment of $1.485 million for the building, according to council documents. Johnson County Assessor records show the building assessed at $524,300.
What’s to come
Mr. Feddema said there may be plans to add more to the building if the company continues to grow. In addition, they hope to grow and add employees and will outsource their fabrication jobs to Iowa companies, he said.
Mr. Feddema and his sister, Claire Feddema, share leadership of the company, and they both moved to Coralville in the last three years. “We appreciate what this area has to offer,” he said.
Coralville City Administrator Kelly Hayworth said that in weighing the city’s decision to partner with the manufacturer, their residency factored in.
“They really came to know and love our area. That’s an important part of this,” Mr. Hayworth said.
He added, “The company has a great future. They really have a vision for what they can do. It’s an exciting company to have located in our area.”
Austin Korns, who is an economic developer for the University of Iowa Office of Innovation/Research Park, said the park hasn’t seen new construction for a while, but more importantly, Morrison Weighing Systems is the right type of business for the research park.
“We want more of this kind of development. The company does incredible work with its custom engineering for machine parts all over the world,” Mr. Korns said.
“It has a lot of downstream potential here,” he added, citing the possibilities in the company’s plans to partner with the University of Iowa College of Engineering.