Engineering Scope

Sauce Process Engineering

Process design for bulk and minor ingredient receiving, storage, weighing, dosing, mixing, agitation, emulsification, homogenization, cooking, cooling, and transfer. Deliverables can include balances, PFDs, P&IDs, equipment sizing, and layouts.

Viscous Product Handling

Tank, mixer, pump, heat exchanger, piping, valve, and transfer-system design for shear-sensitive, non-Newtonian, particulate, multiphase, hot-fill, and cold-fill products, with attention to product recovery, hold-up, and cleaning.

Thermal Process Integration

Engineering for batch cooking, thermal pasteurization, UHT, cooling, and high-pressure-processing interfaces. LAPORTE coordinates time-temperature requirements, surge and hold systems, hygienic routing, controls, and utility demand.

CIP & Sanitary Design

Central and line-specific CIP systems, circuit definition, chemical dosing, heating, recovery, return hydraulics, instrumentation, and sequence controls coordinated with hygienic piping, product changeovers, allergens, and production scheduling.

Filling & Packaging Lines

Integration of glass, plastic, pouch, bag, bucket, drum, and bulk filling with capping, sealing, inspection, labeling, case packing, conveying, robotic or conventional palletizing, and warehouse interfaces.

Plant Utilities & MEP

Steam, hot water, chilled water, refrigeration, compressed air, process water, HVAC, plumbing, drainage, and wastewater systems sized around cooking, cooling, cleaning, filling, and seasonal production demand.

Electrical & Automation Engineering

Electrical distribution, MCCs, drives, instrumentation, PLC, HMI, SCADA, recipe and batch controls, historian, and network architecture for process and packaging systems, with OEM integration, FAT/SAT, commissioning, and startup. For batch kitchens and packaging lines, we can configure segmented OT racks and switches, build and install UL 508A panels, and provide fixed-fee or T&M delivery with project management.

Brownfield Line Integration

Field verification, line relocation, capacity expansion, utility upgrades, phased tie-ins, shutdown planning, construction administration, and startup support for projects executed in active food manufacturing facilities.

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Plant and Facility Work near West Chester, PA

Sauces Salad Dressings Condiments Dips & Spreads Mayonnaise & Emulsions Bulk Liquid Ingredients

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 sauce, dressing, condiment, and dip plants across process, MEP, electrical, and automation disciplines. Sanitary design for viscous and multiphase products covers batching, cooking and thermal processing, CIP, viscous filling, and packaging, with utilities sized around cooking, cooling, and cleaning loads.
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 sauce and condiment processes does LAPORTE support?
LAPORTE supports liquid and dry ingredient handling, weighing, dosing, mixing, emulsification, homogenization, cooking, cooling, pasteurization, UHT and HPP interfaces, hygienic transfer, filling, inspection, case packing, palletizing, CIP, utilities, power, and automation.
Can LAPORTE engineer systems for viscous or particulate products?
Yes. LAPORTE selects and integrates tanks, mixers, agitators, pumps, heat exchangers, valves, piping, instruments, and fillers for non-Newtonian, shear-sensitive, particulate, and multiphase products based on product and process requirements.
Does LAPORTE design CIP systems for sauce plants?
Yes. LAPORTE designs central and dedicated CIP systems, including circuit definition, return hydraulics, chemical dosing, heating, recovery, instrumentation, and automated sequences. Cleaning criteria are established with the owner and equipment suppliers.
Can LAPORTE integrate filling and packaging lines?
Yes. LAPORTE coordinates fillers and primary packaging with inspection, labeling, conveying, case packing, palletizing, utilities, electrical distribution, controls, access, and sanitation. Scope can include new lines, line transfers, and phased replacements.
Can LAPORTE support sauce plant expansions and line transfers?
Yes. Brownfield services can include field verification, capacity analysis, equipment and line layouts, phased utility and electrical work, shutdown planning, construction administration, commissioning, and startup support in an operating plant.

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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