Engineering Scope

Electrical Engineering

Power distribution design, arc-flash and short-circuit studies, substation and medium-voltage work for Reading and Berks County plants. We engineer service upgrades and updated coordination studies for the region's older multi-story mill and foundry buildings, food and baking facilities, and metalworking shops where aging gear and added load demand a current, code-compliant electrical infrastructure.

Controls & Automation Engineering

PLC/SCADA programming, HMI development, control panel design, and systems integration built on Allen-Bradley/Rockwell platforms. We help Reading-area snack, baking, packaging, and specialty-metals manufacturers retrofit legacy relay and hardwired lines into modern automated controls, tying production cells and utilities into supervisory systems for traceability and uptime. Reading upgrades can carry OT network design and rack configuration through panel assembly and installation under fixed-fee or T&M terms with project management.

Process Engineering

Process design, P&IDs, and mechanical and utilities engineering for Berks County production and distribution operations. We design and document process, piping, compressed-air, steam, and thermal-utility systems for food processing, baking, and packaging lines, integrating mechanical, structural, and architectural disciplines so plant expansions and new lines come together as one coordinated package.

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Plant and Facility Work near Reading, 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 Reading, PA

Berks County Manufacturing Base
Berks County is home to over 400 manufacturing facilities, with strong representation in food and beverage processing, pharmaceutical production, and chemical manufacturing. Reading sits at the center of this industrial corridor.
Pennsylvania PE Licensing
LAPORTE's engineers hold active Professional Engineer licenses issued by the Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. This allows LAPORTE to stamp and seal drawings for projects throughout the commonwealth, including Reading and Berks County.
Proximity to West Chester Office
LAPORTE's West Chester, PA office is approximately 45 miles from Reading, roughly a one-hour drive via Route 100 and Route 422. This proximity allows for regular site visits, construction support, and responsive project coordination.
Southeastern PA Manufacturing Corridor
Reading is part of a broader manufacturing region stretching from the Lehigh Valley through Berks County and into Chester County. This corridor includes numerous FDA-regulated and EPA-regulated production facilities in pharma, food, and specialty chemicals.
25+ Years Serving Regulated Industries
LAPORTE has provided electrical, automation, and systems integration engineering to regulated manufacturers for over 25 years, with 90+ engineers experienced in pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical, and biotech facility design.

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's engineers hold active PE licenses in Pennsylvania and can stamp drawings for projects in Reading and throughout the commonwealth.
What industries does LAPORTE serve near Reading, PA?
LAPORTE serves pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical, and biotech manufacturers in the Reading and Berks County area. Our work covers electrical engineering, process automation, and control systems integration for regulated production environments.
How quickly can LAPORTE respond to projects in Reading?
LAPORTE's West Chester office is approximately one hour from Reading. Our engineers regularly travel to client sites in Berks County for kickoff meetings, site surveys, and construction support.
What types of engineering services does LAPORTE provide for manufacturing facilities?
LAPORTE provides consulting engineering for electrical power distribution, process automation and controls, instrumentation, systems integration, and MES/SCADA design. We work from conceptual design through commissioning and validation.
Does LAPORTE perform construction or installation work?
No. LAPORTE is a consulting engineering firm. We produce engineering designs, specifications, and construction documents. We also provide construction administration and commissioning support, but we do not self-perform installation work.
Can LAPORTE support FDA-regulated projects in Reading?
Yes. A large portion of our work is for FDA-regulated facilities. Our engineers understand cGMP requirements, GAMP guidelines, and the validation documentation needed for pharmaceutical and food manufacturing projects.
What is LAPORTE's approach to automation projects in existing facilities?
We start with a thorough assessment of existing control systems, electrical infrastructure, and process requirements. Our designs account for phased implementation so production disruption stays minimal. We work with the facility's preferred automation platforms and existing installed base.

Engineering support in nearby areas

Engineering support for Reading, PA

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