Engineering Scope

Electrical Engineering

PE-stamped power distribution, arc-flash and coordination studies, substation and medium-voltage design for Kennett Square's mushroom-sector, cold-storage, and general manufacturing plants. We engineer for the heavy refrigeration and washdown loads common in southern Chester County food and agricultural-processing facilities, plus service upgrades and one-line documentation along the Route 1 corridor.

Controls & Automation Engineering

PLC/SCADA, HMI, control panel design, and systems integration on Allen-Bradley/Rockwell platforms for Kennett Square processors and packagers. We automate growing-room climate control, refrigeration and ammonia systems, conveyance, and packaging lines, integrating new controls with legacy equipment across food and general manufacturing operations. That scope can include OT networks for climate, refrigeration, and packaging systems plus panel build and field installation, contracted at fixed-fee or T&M with project management.

Process Engineering

Process design, P&IDs, and mechanical/utilities engineering for food, agricultural-processing, and chemical clients around Kennett Square. We size and document sanitary process, steam, compressed air, water, and refrigeration utilities for substrate, composting, washdown, and cold-chain operations, with GAMP5-aligned rigor for regulated work and design-build delivery.

Have a plant project to scope?

Describe the operating constraint or project goal. An engineer can help define the next step.

☎ Call (484) 301-2042 ✉ Send Project Details

Plant and Facility Work near Kennett Square, PA

🍔 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 near Kennett Square, PA

Proximity to Kennett Square
LAPORTE's West Chester, PA office is approximately 13 miles from Kennett Square, roughly a 20-minute drive via US-1 or PA-52. This allows engineers to be on-site quickly for project meetings, field surveys, and commissioning support.
Food Processing Hub in Southern Chester County
Southern Chester County has a dense base of food and agricultural processing, including the large mushroom-growing and cold-storage operations around Kennett Square. These plants run heavy refrigeration, washdown-rated electrical systems, and batch process controls, all work LAPORTE performs for food and beverage manufacturers.
Pennsylvania PE Licensing
LAPORTE employs Professional Engineers licensed in Pennsylvania, meeting the state requirements administered by the PA Registration Board for Professional Engineers. This means LAPORTE can seal drawings and take responsibility for engineered designs across the commonwealth.
Delaware Valley Life Sciences Corridor
Kennett Square sits between the Route 202 pharma corridor to the north and Wilmington, DE's chemical and biotech cluster to the south. This region is one of the densest concentrations of pharmaceutical and life sciences manufacturing in the country. LAPORTE serves clients across this corridor from its nearby West Chester office.
Regulated Manufacturing Concentration
Chester County and the surrounding area host pharmaceutical, food and beverage, specialty chemical, and biotech operations. These facilities operate under FDA, USDA, and EPA regulations that demand validated control systems and properly engineered electrical infrastructure.

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
Connect on LinkedIn
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
Connect on LinkedIn

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 seal drawings and manage projects throughout the commonwealth. Our West Chester, PA office serves as the regional hub for southeastern Pennsylvania.
What industries does LAPORTE serve near Kennett Square?
LAPORTE serves pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical, and biotech manufacturers in the Kennett Square area. Southern Chester County's large food processing industry and the nearby Delaware Valley life sciences corridor are both within our core service area.
How quickly can LAPORTE respond to projects in Kennett Square?
LAPORTE's West Chester, PA office is approximately 13 miles from Kennett Square. Engineers can be on-site within 30 minutes for field surveys, project kickoffs, and commissioning support.
What engineering services does LAPORTE provide for food processing facilities?
LAPORTE provides electrical power distribution design, process automation, controls programming, SCADA and data acquisition, and systems integration for food processing plants. All designs account for FDA and FSMA requirements, including sanitary design standards and electronic recordkeeping.
Can LAPORTE support projects that must meet FDA validation requirements?
Yes. LAPORTE engineers automation and control systems for FDA-regulated facilities, including GAMP-aligned validation documentation, 21 CFR Part 11 compliant systems, and qualification protocols (IQ/OQ/PQ). This applies to pharmaceutical, biotech, and food manufacturing clients.
Does LAPORTE work with existing automation systems or only new installations?
Both. LAPORTE provides engineering for new facility builds, expansions, and upgrades to existing automation and electrical systems. Many projects involve modernizing legacy controls or integrating new equipment into an established plant network.
What is the difference between a consulting engineer and a contractor?
LAPORTE is a consulting engineering firm, not a contractor. We produce engineering designs, specifications, and construction documents. We also provide commissioning and startup support. The actual construction and installation work is performed by qualified contractors who build from our designs.

Engineering support in nearby areas

Engineering support for Kennett Square, PA

Serving Kennett Square, PA from West Chester, PA
Suite 200, 158 West Gay Street
West Chester, PA 19382
Directions Reviews

Talk to an Engineer About Your Project

Share the facility issue, upgrade, or project scope you're evaluating. We'll route it to an engineer and let you know if it's a fit.