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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster County
Lancaster County's Manufacturing Base
Lancaster County is one of Pennsylvania's top manufacturing regions, with a concentration of food and beverage processing, pharmaceutical production, and specialty chemical operations. The county consistently ranks among the state's leaders in manufacturing employment.
Pennsylvania PE Licensure
LAPORTE's engineers hold Professional Engineer licenses issued by the Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers. PA licensure covers practice anywhere in the commonwealth, including Lancaster County and surrounding areas.
Proximity to LAPORTE's West Chester Office
LAPORTE's West Chester, PA headquarters is approximately 60 miles from Lancaster, roughly a one-hour drive via US Route 30. This proximity allows for regular on-site presence during design, construction support, and commissioning phases.
Southeast PA Manufacturing Corridor
Lancaster County sits within the broader southeast Pennsylvania manufacturing corridor that extends from Chester County through Lancaster and into York and Berks counties. This region supports a dense network of regulated manufacturing operations in food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and chemical sectors.
Regulated Industry Presence
Lancaster County and the surrounding region are home to FDA-regulated food processing plants, pharmaceutical manufacturing operations, and chemical production facilities. These industries require engineering firms experienced in GMP environments, FDA compliance, and NFPA electrical standards.
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 licensed by the Pennsylvania State Registration Board. Our West Chester, PA office has served clients across the commonwealth for over 25 years.
What industries does LAPORTE serve near Lancaster County?
LAPORTE serves pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical, and biotech manufacturers in the Lancaster County region. Our engineers design electrical power distribution, process controls, and automation systems for GMP and FDA-regulated facilities.
How quickly can LAPORTE respond to projects in Lancaster County?
LAPORTE's West Chester office is approximately one hour from Lancaster County. Our engineers regularly travel to client sites in the region for design surveys, construction observation, and commissioning support.
Can LAPORTE support FDA-regulated manufacturing projects in Lancaster County?
Yes. LAPORTE has extensive experience in FDA-regulated environments, including pharmaceutical and food manufacturing. Our engineers understand cGMP requirements, validation protocols, and the documentation standards these facilities demand.
What electrical engineering services does LAPORTE provide for Lancaster County manufacturers?
LAPORTE provides power distribution design, lighting and grounding systems, arc flash studies, short circuit analysis, and NEC/NFPA code compliance for industrial facilities. We design systems for both new construction and facility upgrades.
Does LAPORTE handle automation and controls projects in Lancaster County?
Yes. LAPORTE designs control systems, PLC and HMI programming, SCADA systems, and instrumentation for process manufacturing. We work with major automation platforms and integrate systems across batch, continuous, and discrete manufacturing processes.
Can LAPORTE support capital projects at existing Lancaster County manufacturing plants?
LAPORTE regularly supports capital improvement projects at operating facilities. Our engineers plan work around production schedules, design for brownfield conditions, and coordinate shutdowns to minimize downtime.
Request Engineering Fit Review
Tell us about your project and we will schedule a free technical review.