Engineering Scope

Process Development & Scale-Up

Process definition and scale-up support from pilot data and vendor inputs, including mass and energy balances, process flow diagrams, P&IDs, equipment sizing, process narratives, facility layouts, and utility-load development.

Raw-Material Handling

Handling, storage, sieving, milling, dosing, mixing, and conveying systems for powders, grains, pulses, liquids, cultures, and minor ingredients, with attention to segregation, dust capture, sanitation, and flexible campaign operation.

Separation & Protein Recovery

Wet fractionation, extraction, flocculation, centrifugation, membrane filtration, concentration, washing, and purification systems for plant proteins, starches, fibers, oils, and related coproducts.

Fermentation & Bioprocessing

Media preparation, inoculation, fermentation or cell-culture support, vessel systems, gas transfer, temperature control, harvest, cleaning, and downstream interfaces for biomass, precision-fermented ingredients, and other biological processes.

Thermal Processing & Drying

Pasteurization, cooking, cooling, extrusion, texturizing, evaporation, spray drying, final milling, and packaging integration. Designs coordinate hygienic product contact, allergen controls, dust management, utilities, and operator access.

Utilities, CIP & MEP

Steam, hot water, chilled water, refrigeration, compressed air, process water, HVAC, plumbing, CIP, and wastewater systems sized around variable production, sanitation, pilot, and scale-up loads.

Electrical & Automation Engineering

Electrical distribution, motor control, instrumentation, PLC, HMI, SCADA, batch and recipe management, historian, and network architecture for integrated process and OEM systems, with FAT/SAT, commissioning, and startup support. We can carry fermentation and downstream controls through segmented OT network design, UL 508A panel assembly and installation, under full-scope, fixed-fee, or managed T&M delivery.

Coproduct & Wastewater Integration

Coproduct handling and recovery systems for starch, fiber, oils, biomass, and process residuals, plus water-use and wastewater-load assessments that support practical plant mass balance and utility planning.

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 West Chester, PA

Plant Protein Ingredients Plant-Based Foods Precision Fermentation Biomass Protein Cultivated Products Emerging Protein Platforms

Local and Project Context near West Chester, PA

Six US Offices
Project teams work from six US offices: West Chester PA (headquarters), Columbus OH, Chicago IL, Rochester NY, Durham NC, and Denver CO. That footprint supports site visits, construction support, and commissioning across the country.
PE-Licensed in 21 States
LAPORTE Professional Engineers are licensed in 21 US states. Deliverables are stamped and sealed for permitting, insurance, and regulatory review wherever the facility is located.
Sector-Specific Engineering
LAPORTE engineers plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated protein producers across process, MEP, electrical, and automation disciplines. Teams carry evolving processes from pilot data to commercial production: fractionation, fermentation and bioprocessing, thermal processing, drying, and packaging, with utilities and CIP sized for variable campaigns.
Regulated-Industry Documentation
Work is built around the codes and documentation these facilities run under, from NEC and NFPA to FDA, USDA, and cGMP requirements, so deliverables hold up to permitting and audit review.

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

What alternative protein technologies does LAPORTE support?
LAPORTE supports plant protein ingredients, plant-based foods, biomass and precision fermentation, cultivated products, insect protein, and other emerging platforms. Engineering scope is based on the maturity of the process and the requirements of the commercial facility.
Can LAPORTE help scale a pilot process to commercial production?
Yes. LAPORTE can translate pilot data, process requirements, and equipment-vendor information into balances, PFDs, P&IDs, equipment and utility criteria, layouts, controls, and a phased design basis. Scale-up decisions remain grounded in available test data and process risk.
What separation processes can LAPORTE engineer?
LAPORTE designs wet and dry processing systems that can include milling, extraction, flocculation, centrifugation, membrane filtration, concentration, washing, drying, final grinding, and packaging, along with hygienic piping, utilities, automation, and wastewater interfaces.
Does LAPORTE support sanitary design and CIP?
Yes. LAPORTE can engineer CIP circuits and coordinate hygienic equipment, sanitary piping, drainage, zoning, allergen segregation, and cleanable layouts. Criteria are established for the specific product, organism, process, and food-safety plan.
How does LAPORTE address utilities for an emerging process?
LAPORTE integrates process requirements with HVAC, steam, hot water, refrigeration, chilled water, compressed air, process water, electrical distribution, instrumentation, controls, and wastewater. This is particularly important when utility demand changes during scale-up.

Engineering support in nearby areas

Engineering support for West Chester, PA

LAPORTE Consultants
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.