Engineering Scope

Electrical Engineering

Power distribution design, medium-voltage and substation work, and arc-flash and short-circuit studies for the pharmaceutical, specialty-chemical, and food-processing plants concentrated along Chester County's Great Valley and Route 202 corridors. PE-stamped one-lines, load studies, and coordination built for facilities where uptime and worker-safety compliance are non-negotiable.

Controls & Automation Engineering

PLC and SCADA programming, HMI development, control-panel design, and systems integration on Allen-Bradley/Rockwell platforms, with ISA-88 batch and MES experience suited to Chester County's regulated pharma and life-sciences operations near Malvern and Exton. We deliver GAMP5-aware, validation-ready automation that holds up to FDA and audit scrutiny. Where scope spans the plant floor, we also design Purdue-model OT networks and carry UL 508A panels through assembly and installation under full-scope, fixed-fee, or T&M delivery.

Process Engineering

Process design, P&IDs, and mechanical and utilities engineering for Chester County's batch chemical, coatings, and food-processing facilities, including the mushroom-industry processors around Kennett Square. Practical, buildable designs that move product, water, and clean utilities through the plant efficiently, supported by full design-build coordination with our electrical and controls disciplines.

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Plant and Facility Work in Chester 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 Chester County

Pennsylvania PE Licensing
LAPORTE employs Professional Engineers licensed in Pennsylvania, meeting all state requirements for stamping and certifying engineering designs for manufacturing facilities in Chester County and across the commonwealth.
Chester County Manufacturing Base
Chester County and the surrounding southeastern Pennsylvania corridor are home to a dense concentration of pharmaceutical, biotech, food and beverage, and specialty chemical manufacturers. The region ranks among the top life sciences clusters on the East Coast.
Local Office in West Chester, PA
LAPORTE operates from its West Chester, PA office, located directly in Chester County. This means local engineers who understand the area's industrial landscape and can respond to site needs the same day.
Southeastern PA Life Sciences Corridor
The I-76 and Route 202 corridors through Chester, Montgomery, and Delaware counties form one of the largest pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturing regions in the United States. LAPORTE's office sits at the center of this cluster.
Regulated Industry Experience
LAPORTE's engineers design systems for FDA-regulated and EPA-regulated facilities. The firm's 25+ years of experience in cGMP environments directly supports the pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers concentrated in Chester County.

Engineering Leadership

Photo of Nate Kocher, P.E.
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
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Photo of Keith Morgart, P.E.
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
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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 multiple Professional Engineers licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All engineering deliverables for Chester County projects are stamped by PA-licensed PEs.
What industries does LAPORTE serve near Chester County?
LAPORTE serves pharmaceutical, biotech, food and beverage, chemical, and specialty manufacturing facilities. Chester County and the surrounding region have a high concentration of these industries, particularly in life sciences.
How quickly can LAPORTE respond to projects in Chester County?
LAPORTE's office is in West Chester, PA, the county seat of Chester County. Engineers can be on-site the same day for urgent needs. Most project kickoffs happen within one to two weeks of engagement.
Does LAPORTE design systems that meet FDA and cGMP requirements?
Yes. A large portion of LAPORTE's work involves FDA-regulated manufacturing environments. The firm designs electrical, controls, and automation systems that meet cGMP, GAMP, and 21 CFR Part 11 requirements.
What types of engineering does LAPORTE provide for manufacturing facilities?
LAPORTE provides electrical engineering, power distribution design, process controls, automation and PLC/HMI programming, instrumentation, SCADA, MES integration, and systems integration for manufacturing plants.
Can LAPORTE support projects during active production?
Yes. LAPORTE regularly engineers upgrades and expansions for facilities that must maintain production. The firm designs around shutdown constraints and phases work to minimize downtime.
Does LAPORTE work with existing automation platforms already installed at a facility?
Yes. LAPORTE's engineers work with major automation platforms and can integrate new systems with existing infrastructure. The firm is platform-neutral and designs systems based on what fits the facility's needs.

Engineering support in nearby areas

Engineering support for Chester County, PA

Serving Chester County, PA from West Chester, PA
Suite 200, 158 West Gay Street
West Chester, PA 19382
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