A Cedar Falls company has won $21.4 million in a lawsuit against a North Dakota company for violations of trade secrets over an agricultural belt conveyor, according to the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. After a 10 day trial, the jury found in favor of Universal Industries Inc and against Premiere Shortline USA LLC, its affiliate Premiere Ag Manufacturing LLC, and four employees. The UniTube was invented by Universal owner Dean Bierschenk in 2003 or 2004 in Cedar Falls. The details and specifications of the UniTube are considered extremely valuable and not available to the public. Universal’s lawsuit said Shortline was selling Universal’s UniTube before it poached employees from Universal and began selling their own UniTube through their affiliate. The award is said to be one of the largest in Iowa for commercial business litigation.
