Our Services
⚡ Low & medium voltage power systems
⚡ Substation modifications & upgrades
🔋 Emergency & backup power systems
⚠️ Arc flash analysis & mitigation
📊 Power systems modeling (SKM)
💡 MEP design (lighting, fire alarm, access control, IT)
🎛️ Control panel design (UL 508A, NEC)
🤖 PLC programming, consulting & integration
🖥️ HMI & SCADA design and programming
🔄 ISA-88 batch control
🌐 Network design (IT & OT convergence)
🦾 Robotic, vision & safety systems
🔧 OEM equipment integration
📈 Historian configuration & deployment
🏭 Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
🔔 Alarm management
✅ FAT / SAT support
🚀 Startup, commissioning & training
👥 Staff augmentation
📋 GAMP5 validation documentation (URS, FDS, IQ, OQ, PQ)
🏗️ Design-build projects
⚙️ Process engineering
🔩 Mechanical engineering
🏛️ Architecture
🧱 Structural engineering
Talk to an engineer, not a sales rep.
Get a direct conversation with a licensed P.E. who understands your facility.
☎ Call (484) 301-2042 ✉ Email NateIndustries We Serve in Bucks County
🍔 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
Why LAPORTE in Bucks County
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Manufacturing in Bucks County
Bucks County sits within the Greater Philadelphia life sciences corridor, one of the largest pharma and biotech clusters in the U.S. The county is home to pharmaceutical manufacturers, contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs), and biotech firms operating under FDA-regulated conditions.
Chemical and Specialty Manufacturing Along the Delaware River
Lower Bucks County's Delaware River corridor has a long history of chemical and specialty materials manufacturing. Sites like the Keystone Industrial Port Complex, spanning over 2,000 acres in Falls Township, continue to attract industrial and manufacturing tenants to the region.
Pennsylvania Professional Engineer Licensing
LAPORTE's engineers hold active PE licenses in Pennsylvania. PA law requires PE licensure for consulting engineers providing services to manufacturing facilities. This includes stamping engineering drawings, specifications, and reports submitted to regulatory agencies such as the FDA and PA DEP.
Proximity to LAPORTE's West Chester Office
LAPORTE's West Chester, PA office is approximately 50 miles from central Bucks County via the Route 202 corridor. This puts the firm within a one-hour drive of most manufacturing facilities in the county, allowing for responsive on-site support during project execution.
Food and Beverage Processing in the Region
Bucks County and the neighboring Lehigh Valley support a concentration of FDA-regulated food and beverage manufacturing operations. These facilities require process engineering, utilities design, and compliance support consistent with LAPORTE's core disciplines.
Your Engineering Team
Nate Kocher, P.E.
Partner, Dir. Electrical & Automation Engineering
LAPORTE • West Chester, PA
Engineering and management consultant with 15+ years leading controls, power distribution, and systems integration projects for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Experienced in FDA-regulated and GMP-compliant facilities across the U.S.
- P.E. Licensed in 21 States
- Penn State - B.S. Electrical Engineering
- West Chester University - MBA
Keith Morgart, P.E.
Electrical and Automation Engineer
LAPORTE • Greater Pittsburgh, PA
Electrical power and controls design engineer with extensive experience leading projects for industrial and commercial clients. Specializes in power distribution, motor controls, and code compliance across manufacturing facilities.
- P.E. Licensed Professional Engineer
- Univ. of Pittsburgh-Johnstown - B.S. Electrical Engineering
- NEC, NFPA & IEEE Standards Expert
Representative Projects
pet food • multidiscipline
Challenge: A pet food manufacturer required engineering design for a new 370,000 sq ft greenfield production facility ($315M).
Solution: 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.
Result: The greenfield facility was designed and constructed as a fully integrated production plant.
food & beverage • automation
Challenge: A nutrition company required engineering for a greenfield whey protein plant ($800M) including receiving, heat treatment, filtration, and drying systems.
Solution: 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.
Result: The greenfield whey protein plant was designed and commissioned.
pharmaceutical • multidiscipline
Challenge: A national research organization required a new Biologics Manufacturing Centre with biological containment level CL2 for vaccine candidate production (5,000 m², $126M).
Solution: 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.
Result: The Biologics Manufacturing Centre was completed and designed for vaccine production.
Why LAPORTE
Multiple Fortune 500 clients with 100+ completed projects across food, pharmaceutical, and chemical manufacturing.
Client Track Record
PE-licensed engineers in 21 states delivering electrical, controls, and process engineering from concept through commissioning.
Engineering Depth
Frequently Asked Questions
Does LAPORTE have engineers licensed in Pennsylvania?
Yes. LAPORTE employs Professional Engineers (PEs) licensed in Pennsylvania. Our engineers can stamp drawings, specifications, and reports for projects across the state, including Bucks County.
What industries does LAPORTE serve near Bucks County?
LAPORTE serves pharmaceutical, biotech, food and beverage, chemical, and specialty manufacturing facilities. Bucks County and the surrounding region are home to a significant number of these regulated operations.
How quickly can LAPORTE respond to projects in Bucks County?
LAPORTE's West Chester, PA office is roughly one hour from most locations in Bucks County via Route 202 or the PA Turnpike. Our engineers can be on-site the same day for urgent needs and provide regular site presence during active projects.
What types of engineering services does LAPORTE provide?
LAPORTE provides electrical engineering, automation and controls, instrumentation, and systems integration for manufacturing facilities. We support capital projects from front-end design through commissioning and qualification.
Can LAPORTE support FDA-regulated facility projects?
Yes. LAPORTE has 25+ years of experience designing electrical and automation systems for FDA-regulated facilities. Our engineers understand cGMP requirements, validation protocols, and the documentation standards these projects demand.
Does LAPORTE work with existing facility control systems?
Yes. LAPORTE's automation engineers work with major automation platforms already installed in your facility. We design system upgrades, migrations, and expansions that integrate with your existing infrastructure.
Is LAPORTE a contractor or a consulting engineering firm?
LAPORTE is a consulting engineering firm. We provide design, specification, and engineering oversight services. We are independent of equipment vendors and contractors, which means our recommendations are based solely on what is right for your facility.
Request Engineering Fit Review
Tell us about your project and we will schedule a free technical review.