Engineering Scope

Chemical Process Engineering

Process design for bulk and packaged raw-material receiving, storage, transfer, metering, reaction, blending, dispersion, milling, separation, filtration, heating, cooling, and filling. Deliverables can include balances, PFDs, P&IDs, equipment specifications, and layouts.

Batching, Mixing & Dispersion

Batch-system design for reactors, mix tanks, high-speed dispersers, mills, letdown tanks, filters, pumps, heat exchangers, and transfer piping, including recipe requirements, cleaning strategy, product segregation, and changeover considerations.

Bulk Storage & Transfer

Tank farms, unloading stations, day tanks, pumping, piping, vents, grounding and bonding, secondary containment, and transfer controls for solvents, resins, oils, acids, bases, powders, and other raw materials.

Hazardous-Location Electrical

Hazardous-area classification support and electrical design for classified locations, including equipment selection, wiring methods, grounding, bonding, static-control interfaces, ventilation interlocks, and applicable NEC Article 500 or 505 requirements.

Ventilation, Utilities & MEP

Local exhaust, general ventilation, make-up air, temperature and humidity control, heating, cooling, compressed air, inert gas, process water, plumbing, fire-protection coordination, and wastewater or waste-handling interfaces.

Controls & Automation

PLC, HMI, SCADA, batch and recipe control, instrumentation, historian, alarm management, and network architecture for process, utility, tank-farm, and packaging systems, with control panels specified for applicable UL 508A and NEC requirements. For classified and general process areas, we can design segmented industrial networks, build and install UL 508A panels, and deliver at fixed-fee or T&M with project management.

Filling & Packaging Integration

Integration of drum, tote, pail, cartridge, can, and bulk filling with weighing, capping, labeling, conveying, case packing, and palletizing, including ventilation, spill control, power, controls, and operator access.

Brownfield Modernization

Field investigations, debottlenecking, process-safety action support, equipment replacement, tank-farm modifications, control migrations, utility upgrades, phased construction, commissioning, and startup for operating chemical facilities.

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Plant and Facility Work near West Chester, PA

Paints & Coatings Inks & Colorants Adhesives & Sealants Specialty Chemicals Formulated Consumer Products Industrial Chemical Products

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 chemical, paint, ink, coating, and adhesive plants across process, MEP, electrical, and automation disciplines. Batch and continuous process design is paired with hazardous-location electrical work per NEC Article 500/505, ventilation, tank-farm containment, and controls for classified and formulated-product operations.
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
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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

What chemical and coatings processes does LAPORTE support?
LAPORTE supports raw-material storage and transfer, reaction, blending, dispersion, milling, separation, filtration, thermal processing, filling, packaging, utilities, ventilation, electrical distribution, instrumentation, automation, and brownfield project delivery.
Can LAPORTE design electrical systems for hazardous locations?
Yes. LAPORTE supports hazardous-area classification and designs power, instrumentation, controls, grounding, bonding, and wiring methods for classified locations in accordance with the applicable project basis and NEC Article 500 or 505.
Does LAPORTE engineer solvent and chemical tank farms?
Yes. LAPORTE engineers unloading, storage tanks, day tanks, pumping, piping, vents, secondary containment, grounding and bonding, instrumentation, and transfer controls. Requirements are based on material properties, quantities, codes, and the owner's process-safety basis.
Can LAPORTE automate chemical batch processing?
LAPORTE can integrate PLC, HMI, SCADA, batch and recipe controls, instruments, OEM equipment, historians, alarms, and networks. Control panels and field systems are specified to the applicable hazardous-location, NEC, and UL 508A requirements.
Can LAPORTE support brownfield chemical plant upgrades?
Yes. LAPORTE can verify existing conditions, assess process and utility capacity, replace equipment, modify tank farms and ventilation, migrate controls, upgrade electrical systems, phase construction, and support commissioning and startup.

Engineering support in nearby areas

Engineering support for West Chester, PA

LAPORTE Consultants
Suite 200, 158 West Gay Street
West Chester, PA 19382
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