Tecnohargrove is pleased to announce the opening of a full-service office in Mexico City, which strengthens its presence in Mexico following the opening of its Monterrey operation in 2021. Tecnohargrove is a venture between Mobile, Alabama based Hargrove Engineers & Constructors, TC North America S.A. de CV, and Saldivar Engineering.

The firms have collaborated for the past seven years, with a combined 80-year history providing best-in-class project execution for thousands of projects in the hydrocarbon, petrochemical, power, infrastructure, manufacturing, and industrial sectors at the most competitive rates.

The Mexico City office is Hargrove’s 19th full-service operation, supporting clients in Mexico and globally.

“We are confident and excited to expand our international footprint in Mexico,” said Ralph Hargrove, President and CEO of Hargrove Engineers & Constructors.  “Clients can expect the hallmark quality, speed, and level of service characteristic of the Hargrove ‘One Team’ culture in Mexico City and the surrounding areas.”

Tecnoconsult, established in 1967 and headquartered in Miami, has extensive experience in North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean, offering world-class engineering, project management, procurement, and construction management services. Tecnoconsult is a high quality and competitive engineering center that generates value for all its stakeholders and operates with superior ethical standards.

Hargrove Controls & Automation, a leading industrial automation system integrator and a subsidiary of global EPC firm Hargrove Engineers & Constructors, retrofitted an existing 88,000-sq-ft brownfield facility in Winchester, Ky for the biotechnology company Danimer Scientific, leading the future of plastics.

Danimer Scientific develops renewable and sustainable polymers that reduce dependency on petrochemicals. Recognizing the market demand for products that are compostable alternatives to single use plastics, they develop revolutionary biodegradable plastics that utilize an environmentally friendly PHA. They needed to upscale their demonstration plant process into an automated manufacturing facility.

“We are so excited about what we make because this solution is very much needed by the world. Hargrove worked hand-in-hand with our team of scientists and engineers to take a demonstration plant process and scale it into full production at a brownfield facility,” said Michael Smith, COO of Danimer Scientific. “We aren’t a typical manufacturing company as we initially didn’t have an inside engineering group. Hargrove was a true partner to us with excellent communication on every step of the process to bring this unique product to market.”

Due to their biotechnology being so new, Danimer needed a completely unique process design to take their product out of the pilot phase and into reality. They needed an integrator to guide them through the process of automating and designing a functional facility so that they could begin raising capital. The project had intense budget and scheduling constraints to meet stakeholder’s expectations.

“This new process was one of a kind and required a unique approach. I’m proud of the team’s ability to take on the challenge and be agile and innovative to deliver the solution that Danimer needed,” said Josh Payne, Division Leader at Hargrove Controls & Automation. “We look forward to future work with Danimer to help them continue to grow and find success in the market.”

Hargrove Controls & Automation utilized their experience in the life sciences industry and their ability to design pioneering processes to guide Danimer Scientific through the journey of transforming the Kentucky facility into a fully realized manufacturing plant.

To learn more information about the project, read this article.

About Danimer Scientific.

Danimer Scientific is a pioneer in creating more sustainable, more natural ways to make plastic products. For more than a decade, our renewable and sustainable biopolymers have helped create plastic products that are biodegradable and compostable. They return to nature instead of polluting our lands and waters. Today, Danimer Scientific operates three facilities with well over 200,000 total square feet of state-of-the-art laboratories, manufacturing facilities and testing space. They have facilities located in Bainbridge, Georgia and Winchester, KY.

Hargrove is excited to announce the expansion of its presence in the Midwest region by opening a new office at 8101 North High Street, Suite 200 in Columbus, OH. This is Hargrove’s 19^th full-service operation, with 17 domestic offices and 2 international offices. The Columbus office has specific experience in the Chemical, Low Temperature and Cryo, Oil and Gas, Material Handling and Food & Beverage industries, and will grow to support many general industrial clients.

“We are looking forward to a full-service presence in this region,” said Greg Blankenship, Hargrove’s vice president of eastern divisional operations. “Clients in the area can expect the hallmark quality, speed, and level of service characteristic of the Hargrove ‘One Team’ approach.”

With a grand opening slated for May of 2023, the office brings a strong showing of E&I talent to the area, with other disciplines being added continually.

Hargrove has grown steadily each year with an excellent track record of delivering superior results to industrial clients across the United States. Ranking nationally among Engineering News Record’s Top 500 Design Firms and Sourcebook, Hargrove is well-positioned to provide superior service and commitment to clients across many sectors. Hargrove is actively recruiting in the Columbus area for those seeking career opportunities with an industry leader.

“Having boots on the ground near our clients has always been a driving force for Hargrove,” said Ralph A. Hargrove, president and CEO. “We’re proud to remain the Right People in the Right Place at the Right Time™. Each move we make is tailored to client needs, plans, and expectations, which ultimately leads to mutual success.”

Vice President of Hargrove Controls & Automation Karen Griffin will be participating in a panel discussion on “Succession Planning to Developing a Culture of Ownership” at the 2023 Control System Integrators Association (CSIA) Executive Conference in New Orleans, LA.

Hargrove Controls & Automation, a leading industrial automation system integrator and a subsidiary of global EPC firm Hargrove Engineers & Constructors, will be represented by Karen Griffin P.E., vice president of Hargrove Controls & Automation, on the panel “Succession Planning to Developing a Culture of Ownership” at the 2023 Control System Integrators Association (CSIA) Executive Conference May 15-19, 2023 in New Orleans, LA.

Griffin will participate in a panel of professionals, alongside Ray Brown, Dan Markowitz, and Joe DeJong, who are experienced in Employee Stock Ownership Programs (ESOP). The panel will dig into the pros and cons of the ESOP structure, how to successfully transition businesses to an ESOP, the impact the change has on company culture, and the effect it has on recruiting and employee retention.

“I am thrilled to be a part of this panel of esteemed professionals sharing our firsthand experiences and insights on the benefits and challenges of transitioning to an Employee Stock Ownership Program,” said Griffin. “I look forward to sharing our valuable experience as well as learning from the other panelists about their experiences and successes on the impact of transitioning their companies to an ESOP.”

The panel is part of “Track 3 – Company Culture and Emerging Leaders”, one of the sessions available for participants to attend. The panel will take place Thursday, May 18^th, from 4:25 pm – 5:10 pm.

The CSIA Executive Conference brings together system integration industry professionals to share business insights to tackle the challenges they face, learn about new industry opportunities, and network with peers.

Tormod, a Hargrove company dedicated to providing asset life cycle solutions, has recently created a blog to accompany its new website, Tormod.com. The blog will serve plant leaders by sharing best practices to help enhance their operations.

“Tormod’s new monthly blog is a testament to our commitment to working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, and helping them get to know us,” says Randy Pound, Tormod’s executive director. “We understand that asset-owning manufacturing leaders are seeking solutions, and we are helping them discover the right fixes for their plant challenges.”

The blog will cover topics touched by Tormod’s full range of solutions, including commissioning and startup, maintenance services, maintenance optimization, environmental, health, safety, and security, procedure development, and talent optimization. The first post, available now, looks at “5 Ways Asset Life Cycle Management Produces Better Outcomes”. Be sure to check the blog frequently for exciting new operations content.

“Creating content like this is an important part of our client relationships,” said Nicolas Hausman, Hargrove’s marketing leader. “By taking the time to understand clients’ operational needs, we are able to bring value not only with our services, but also by providing information and expertise as leaders are seeking advice and learning about new strategies online.”

Since 1995, Hargrove has opened offices across the U.S. to provide full-service engineering, procurement, construction management, project management, controls and automation, and technical services where their clients need them most. Now, Hargrove is pleased to announce the opening of its 17^th office in Concord, California.

“We have many offices across the U.S. because we want to be near the client,” says California native and operations leader, Jim Vicknair, who previously served in leadership roles for WorleyParsons and most recently, Eichleay. “When clients in the California region began asking if Hargrove would move to California, Ralph A. Hargrove said ‘yes.’” Jim is joined at the Concord office by several key teammates: Gina Munns, office support leader, Matt Christian, engineering leader, and Meliza Cruz Lopez, project leader.

Together with their team, they are taking on a wide range of projects in this unique region known for innovation and “firsts” in renewable energy and environmental sustainability, as well as refining and chemicals. They’re also in the process of establishing hubs of remote teammates in areas like Seattle, Washington, to serve clients in the Pacific Northwest and Salt Lake City, Utah, to serve clients in the Mountain Region.

Some key differentiators of the Hargrove teammate experience are the company’s designation as an ESOP, or Employee Stock Ownership Plan (which Hargrove calls TSOP, or Teammate Stock Ownership Plan) and the Hargrove charitable foundation that contributes to causes in Hargrove locations with an emphasis on four areas: education, health and human services, arts and culture, and qualified sports activities.

Hargrove’s culture is also focused on mentoring, learning and growth. “I’ve had huge opportunities in my career and want to give back to people and give them opportunities,” says Jim. “If our teammates felt pigeonholed in their last positions, I want them to have more opportunities here. For us, it’s about hiring A-players who are the right fit for us culturally, and then leveraging their unique personalities and talents and matching those with our clients.”

“This is the nicest company I’ve ever worked for as far as the people and respect,” adds Jim. “We have a great product, but again, it’s the people”—the people who are dedicated to being the Right People in the Right Place at the Right Time for their clients, partners, and communities.

Hargrove Controls & Automation engineers played a pivotal role in restarting the Emerald Coast chapter of the ISA, with the first meeting taking place on December 8, 2022.

Mobile, AL – December 06, 2022 – Hargrove Controls & Automation, a leading industrial automation system integrator and a subsidiary of global EPC firm Hargrove Engineers & Constructors, today announced the restarting of the Emerald Coast chapter of the International Society of Automation (ISA) after several years of disbandment. The first official meeting is set for December 8, 2022.

“Hargrove’s active participation in Emerald Coast ISA is a great opportunity for a for us to engage with industry leaders to share knowledge and best practices,” said Sean Phillips, PE, ISA Emerald Coast Chapter President and Project Manager at Hargrove Controls & Automation. “In restarting this ISA chapter, our goal is to build a stronger community of professionals in the local area, benefitting all who are involved.”

ISA members and nonmembers alike are invited to attend the chapter’s meeting December 8, 2022, from 6-7 PM CST at AIDT Maritime Welding Center, 360 Addsco Road, Mobile, Alabama. John H. Carter Company will discuss instrumentation and controls in a presentation entitled, “SIS Smart Valve Integration.” The Hargrove-sponsored event will offer both industry education and networking.

The International Society of Automation (ISA) is a non-profit professional association founded in 1945 to create a better world through automation. ISA advances technical competence by connecting the automation community to achieve operational excellence. The organization develops widely used global standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; hosts conferences and exhibits; and provides networking and career development programs for its members and customers around the world. The ISA Mobile – Pensacola “Emerald Coast” section is a local chapter of the ISA dedicated to providing an opportunity to plug-in to a regional network of professionals looking to grow with one another in the fields of automation, instrumentation, and cybersecurity.

About Hargrove Controls & Automation

Hargrove Controls & Automation, a CSIA Certified system integrator, is a subsidiary of Hargrove Engineers & Constructors, a global EPC firm. The company is one of few multi-service automation groups in the country for plant automation, safety systems, industrial internet of things and industrial digitalization. Since its inception in 2012, Hargrove’s Controls & Automation team has grown to over 130 control systems engineers and specialists across Hargrove’s 17 offices. The team consists of panel builders, instrumentation designers, programmers, certified process safety engineers and process control engineers specializing in DCS/PLC/SIS system integration, IT/OT, Industry 4.0 digitalization, and cybersecurity. Customer satisfaction and project success earned the company placement in Control Engineering Magazine’s 2022 System Integrator of the Year. For more information, visit Hargrove Controls & Automation’s website and LinkedIn.

Founded in Mobile, Alabama in 1995, Hargrove Engineers & Constructors is a full-service EPC, automation, life sciences, and technical services firm whose success stems from building the most talented engineers and construction professionals while maintaining long-term client relationships. For more information about Hargrove, please visit hargrove-epc.com.