Process control for operations
where precision prevents disasters.
Chemical manufacturing operates at the intersection of extreme precision and extreme consequence. A reactor temperature that drifts outside its window doesn't just affect product quality — it can create a safety event. A chemical dosing error doesn't just waste material — it can produce an off-spec batch that has to be disposed of under hazardous waste protocols. The control systems running these processes need to match the criticality of the chemistry.
We design and deploy control systems for chemical plants, petrochemical facilities, specialty chemical manufacturers, and industrial gas operations as a chemical process automation system integrator. DCS, PLC, SCADA, and safety instrumented systems engineered for continuous and batch chemical processes — where Process Safety Management (PSM), HAZOP-driven interlocks, and the margin for error is measured in fractions of a percent.
Obsolete DCS, undocumented safety modifications, and control strategies that operators hand-tune by memory.
- —Spare I/O cards scarce, vendor support gone
- —SIS changes not reflected in requirements specs
- —Off-spec batches and thermal excursions
Cascade and feedforward control, IEC 61511 SIS lifecycle, and phased migrations without plant shutdowns.
- Reactor and distillation control that stays in spec
- Fully documented SIS with current SIL calcs
- Hot cutover migrations on operating plants
Eight capabilities,
engineered for process safety.
Advanced process control logic for continuous and batch chemical operations. Reactor temperature control, distillation column management, chemical dosing, blending, polymerization, and exothermic reaction management. PLC and DCS programming on Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Honeywell Experion, and Emerson DeltaV platforms. PID loop tuning for tight process control. Cascade, ratio, and feedforward control strategies for complex process interactions. Batch control per ISA-88 for recipe-driven chemical production.
View serviceReal projects,
measurable results.
A reactor that controls itself.
A specialty chemical manufacturer was running a batch reactor with manual temperature control — operators adjusted steam and cooling water valves based on experience, and product quality varied between batches and between shifts. Off-spec batches required rework, and one thermal runaway incident had prompted a safety review. We implemented automated reactor temperature control with cascade PID loops — the primary loop controlling reactor temperature, the secondary loop controlling jacket temperature. Feedforward compensation based on exothermic reaction phase. Safety instrumented interlocks for high-temperature shutdown with automated quench. Batch temperature consistency improved from ±8°C to ±1.5°C, off-spec batches dropped by 60%, and the safety review resulted in a formally documented SIL 2 safety function.
A DCS migration without a plant shutdown.
A petrochemical facility was running on a 25-year-old DCS with no vendor support, failing I/O cards, and dwindling spare parts. A full plant shutdown for migration would have cost millions in lost production. We executed a phased migration to a modern DCS platform over 18 months, migrating one process unit at a time during planned maintenance windows. Each unit was commissioned, tuned, and handed over to operations before the next migration phase began. The migration included new operator workstations, historian integration, and an updated alarm management strategy. Total unplanned downtime attributable to the migration: zero.
Safety compliance that's documented.
A chemical manufacturer's safety instrumented system had been modified incrementally over the years without proper documentation — interlock logic had been changed, setpoints adjusted, and trip devices replaced without updating the safety requirements specification or revalidating the SIFs. A regulatory audit flagged the gaps. We conducted a full SIS audit — reviewed the SIL assessments, documented the as-built configuration, identified gaps between the safety requirements and the implemented logic, and remediated the discrepancies. The result: a fully documented safety system with current SIL verification calculations, updated proof test procedures, and a lifecycle management framework for ongoing compliance.
The stack we deploy
in chemical plants.
Allen-Bradley ControlLogix, Siemens S7-1500, Honeywell Experion, Emerson DeltaV, Schneider Electric M580
Triconex, HIMA, Allen-Bradley GuardLogix, Siemens F-PLCs — IEC 61511 compliant
Ignition, FactoryTalk, AVEVA System Platform, DCS-native operator stations
EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, FOUNDATION Fieldbus, HART, OPC UA — with IT/OT segmentation
Allen-Bradley PowerFlex, Siemens Sinamics, ABB ACS — hazardous area rated
OSIsoft PI, AVEVA Historian, Ignition Tag Historian
ISA-88 batch control, ISA-95 enterprise integration
Built for process safety,
not adapted to it.
We understand process safety.
Chemical process control and safety instrumented systems aren't separate disciplines in our practice — they're designed by the same team, on the same project, with the same understanding of the process hazards. Our engineers design SIS per IEC 61511 and understand that a safety system isn't just a set of interlocks — it's a lifecycle commitment.
We design for continuous operations.
Chemical plants run continuously. Shutdowns are planned months in advance and every hour of downtime is accounted for. We design migrations, upgrades, and new system deployments around the operational reality of facilities that can't just stop.
We handle the complexity.
Chemical processes involve dozens of interacting control loops, complex batch sequences, and process dynamics that require deep understanding to control well. We don't just wire up controllers — we understand the process well enough to design control strategies that actually maintain product quality and process stability.
Straight answers.
Yes. SIL assessment, safety requirements specification, SIF design, and safety PLC programming on Triconex, HIMA, Allen-Bradley GuardLogix, and Siemens F-PLCs. Proof test procedure development and safety system lifecycle documentation. Process control and safety instrumented systems are designed by the same team — not handed off to a separate practice.
Yes. We execute phased DCS migrations — Honeywell TDC to Experion, Bailey to ABB, Fisher Provox to DeltaV, Allen-Bradley PLC-5 to ControlLogix — migrating one process unit at a time during planned maintenance windows. Hot cutover planning for critical process loops and updated alarm management strategies built into every migration.
Panel design includes appropriate hazardous area ratings and purge systems. Explosion-proof enclosures, intrinsically safe circuit design, and motor control specified for Class I Division 1/2 and Zone 1/2 environments. Our electrical scope accounts for the area classification requirements that govern chemical facility installations — from engineering through fabrication.
Honeywell Experion, Emerson DeltaV, Schneider M580, Allen-Bradley ControlLogix, and Siemens S7-1500 for control. Ignition, FactoryTalk, AVEVA System Platform, and DCS-native operator stations for supervisory. OSIsoft PI, AVEVA Historian, and Ignition Tag Historian for process data capture.
Yes. We review SIL assessments, document the as-built SIS configuration, identify gaps between the safety requirements specification and the implemented logic, and remediate the discrepancies. The deliverable is a fully documented safety system with current SIL verification calculations, updated proof test procedures, and a lifecycle management framework for ongoing compliance.
Yes. Commissioning documentation meets the site's management-of-change and quality requirements. I/O verification, loop checking, valve stroke testing, safety system proof testing, and process tuning are documented in formats your PSM program and regulatory audits require.
Ready to talk about your plant?
Whether it's a reactor control upgrade, a safety system audit, or a full DCS migration — tell us about the project.