Engineering Scope
Electrical Engineering
PE-stamped power distribution, arc-flash and coordination studies, substation, and medium-voltage design for Berks County food, packaging, and metals manufacturers.
Controls & Automation Engineering
PLC/SCADA, HMI, and control-panel design with systems integration for Reading-area production and packaging lines. For Reading and Berks County plants, we can design the industrial network, assemble and install UL 508A panels, and manage the work under fixed-fee or T&M terms.
Process Engineering
Process design, P&IDs, and utilities engineering for the food and chemical processors across Berks County.
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☎ Call (484) 301-2042 ✉ Send Project DetailsPlant and Facility Work in Berks County
🍔 Food & Beverage
🥛 Dairy Processing
🍪 Snack & Bakery
🍖 Meat & Poultry
🐶 Pet Food
🌾 Agrifood
🛒 Consumer Products
🧴 Personal Care & Cosmetics
🧪 Chemical Processing
🧫 Specialty Chemicals
🔬 Life Sciences
💊 Nutraceuticals
💧 Water & Wastewater Treatment
📦 Warehousing & Distribution
📦 Packaging & Fulfillment
Local and Project Context in Berks County
Berks County Manufacturing Base
Berks County is home to more than 400 manufacturing facilities, with significant concentrations in food and beverage processing, pharmaceutical production, and chemical manufacturing. The Reading metro area has one of the highest manufacturing employment shares in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania PE Licensing
LAPORTE engineers hold active Professional Engineer licenses in Pennsylvania, allowing them to stamp and seal engineering drawings for projects throughout the commonwealth, including Berks County.
Proximity to Berks County
LAPORTE's West Chester, PA office is approximately 45 miles from Reading, the Berks County seat. This allows for same-day site visits and responsive project support without the overhead of maintaining a satellite office.
I-76 and I-176 Manufacturing Corridor
Berks County sits along a well-established manufacturing corridor connected by I-76 and I-176. The region's proximity to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and major northeast logistics routes has supported generations of food processing, packaging, and specialty chemical operations.
Regional Workforce and Industry Depth
The greater Reading area supports a skilled manufacturing workforce and hosts facilities across pharmaceutical, confectionery, snack food, dairy, and specialty chemical sectors. Many of these operations run under FDA, USDA, or EPA regulatory requirements.
Engineering Leadership
Nate Kocher, P.E.
Partner, Director of Electrical and Automation Engineering
LAPORTE • West Chester, PA
Engineering and management consultant with 15+ years of work in control systems, power distribution and systems integration for food, beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
- P.E. Licensed in 21 States
- Penn State, B.S. Electrical Engineering
- West Chester University, MBA
Keith Morgart, P.E.
Electrical and Automation Engineer
LAPORTE • Greater Pittsburgh, PA
Electrical power and controls engineer whose work includes power distribution, motor controls and code compliance for industrial and commercial facilities.
- P.E. Licensed Professional Engineer
- University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, B.S. Electrical Engineering
- NEC, NFPA and IEEE standards
Representative Project Work
pet food • multidiscipline
Project need: A pet food manufacturer required engineering design for a new 370,000 sq ft greenfield production facility ($315M total constructed cost).
LAPORTE scope: LAPORTE provided preliminary and detailed engineering for MEP, automation, instrumentation, and process. Scope included 45 HVAC units, ammonia refrigeration with micro-charging, air compressors, boilers, 40 MBTU cooling tower, chiller skids (2,300 TR), and wastewater treatment. Services included procurement, construction administration, startup, and commissioning with a team of 35.
Outcome: The greenfield facility was designed and constructed as a fully integrated production plant.
food & beverage • automation
Project need: A nutrition company required engineering for a greenfield whey protein plant ($800M total constructed cost) including receiving, heat treatment, filtration, and drying systems.
LAPORTE scope: LAPORTE provided project management, preliminary and detailed engineering design for process and automation, design of automation architecture (50+ control panels, networks, operator stations, control room), procurement support, and commissioning (IQ/OQ/PQ). Scope included HTST heat treatment, disc stack centrifuges, membrane filtration (UF/NF/RO), crystallization, evaporation, spray drying, and CIP.
Outcome: The greenfield whey protein plant was designed and commissioned.
pharmaceutical • multidiscipline
Project need: A national research organization required a new Biologics Manufacturing Centre with biological containment level CL2 for vaccine candidate production (5,000 m², $126M total constructed cost).
LAPORTE scope: LAPORTE provided engineering and construction supervision for the new facility including two cell culture suites (500L and 2,000L), purification by chromatography, vial filling, secondary packaging, warehouse, offices, mechanical/electrical rooms, and QC laboratory. The facility was designed in accordance with GMP requirements.
Outcome: The Biologics Manufacturing Centre was completed and designed for vaccine production.
Project Questions
Does LAPORTE have engineers licensed in Pennsylvania?
Yes. LAPORTE employs Professional Engineers licensed in Pennsylvania who can stamp drawings and provide engineering services for projects in Berks County and throughout the commonwealth.
What industries does LAPORTE serve near Berks County?
LAPORTE serves pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical, and biotech manufacturers. Berks County and the surrounding region are home to a variety of regulated manufacturing facilities in these sectors.
How quickly can LAPORTE respond to projects in Berks County?
LAPORTE's West Chester office is about 45 miles from Reading. Engineers can be on-site within the same day for urgent needs, and the proximity supports regular site visits throughout the project lifecycle.
What types of engineering services does LAPORTE provide?
LAPORTE provides electrical engineering, power distribution design, instrumentation and controls, automation and systems integration, and process control engineering for regulated manufacturing environments.
Can LAPORTE support projects in FDA-regulated facilities?
Yes. LAPORTE has extensive experience designing electrical and automation systems for FDA-regulated manufacturing facilities, including work that must comply with 21 CFR Part 11, GAMP guidelines, and cGMP requirements.
Does LAPORTE work with existing automation platforms already installed at a facility?
Yes. LAPORTE's engineers have experience across major automation platforms and can design around existing installed systems, integrate new equipment into legacy architectures, or help plan platform migrations.
Is LAPORTE a contractor or a consulting engineering firm?
LAPORTE is a consulting engineering firm, not a contractor. They provide design, engineering, and project support services. They do not self-perform construction or installation work.
Engineering support in nearby areas
Engineering support for Berks County, PA
Serving Berks County, PA from West Chester, PA
Suite 200, 158 West Gay Street
West Chester, PA 19382
West Chester, PA 19382
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