We help small and mid-size food manufacturers pass SQF audits, manage CAPEX projects, and build engineering programs — without hiring a full-time Engineering Director.
You know there are gaps in your program. You don't have time to find and fix them all before the auditor walks in.
Budget approved but no one to lead the project from spec to commissioning without it running over time and money.
Your engineers are good technicians — but you need someone who can think strategically, manage vendors, and own compliance.
With 35 years of hands-on experience in USDA and FDA regulated food plants — including a wide variety of products, including: Processed Meats, Bakeries, Hispanic Foods, Sauces, Dry Sausage, & Ground Beef. — We've seen every engineering challenge a food manufacturer faces.
As your Fractional Engineering Director, you get C-suite-level engineering leadership on a monthly retainer — strategic thinking, regulatory expertise, and technical depth at a fraction of the cost.
Pre-audit gap assessments, corrective action planning, and audit prep for SQF, FDA, USDA, Non- GMO, Costco, and Walmart audits.
From equipment specification through commissioning. I manage vendors, review bids, and keep projects on time and on budget.
PLC/SCADA troubleshooting, sanitary design review, throughput analysis, and equipment optimization.
Setting up preventive maintenance programs — asset lists, PM schedules, work order systems, and KPI dashboards.
RFP development, bid review, contractor oversight, and vendor accountability so you don't get taken advantage of.
Annual capital planning, equipment lifecycle analysis, facility improvement roadmaps, and engineering department development.
10–15 hrs. Single-site operations. Audit prep, basic CAPEX guidance, and monthly check-ins.
20–25 hrs. Ongoing SQF compliance, active equipment projects, CMMS rollout, and vendor management. Most popular.
30–40 hrs. Full outsourced Engineering Director. Multi-site, on-call availability, and on-site visits included.
As needed. Project overages, one-time site visits, expert witness, or short-term engagements.
Month one focuses on a baseline assessment — understanding your current state, prioritizing issues, and building a 90-day action plan. Retainers are month-to-month with 30 days' notice to cancel. Most clients stay 12+ months because the value is clear — but you're never locked in.
Every template comes from real audit experience and real plants. Most food safety templates online were written by people who've never been in a production facility. These weren't.
200+ item gap assessment mapped to SQF Edition 9. Excel format with automatic scoring.
Complete 7-principle HACCP plan set. Word and Excel format.
50+ PM SOPs for common food plant equipment. CMMS-ready.
Asset list template, PM schedule builder, work order templates, KPI dashboard, and rollout guide.
Spec templates for 20 common food plant equipment types. Get accurate bids and hold vendors accountable.
ROI calculator, project timeline template, bid comparison matrix, and commissioning checklist.
3-A and EHEDG compliance checklist for equipment and facility design evaluation.
All SQF-related templates in one package — best value for initial certification or recertification.
Structured courses for food plant engineers, maintenance managers, and QA directors — practical, applicable, and immediately useful. No fluff. No filler.
Everything a food plant engineer needs to pass an SQF audit — Edition 9, GMP requirements, documentation, and corrective action response. Available Now.
Implement or overhaul a preventive maintenance program using a CMMS — from asset list through KPI reporting. Coming Soon.
Planning and executing capital projects — from concept and justification through commissioning and close-out. Coming Soon.
Engineering principles behind sanitary design for USDA/FDA environments — equipment selection, facility layout, and 3-A/EHEDG standards. Coming Soon.
My name is Tom Cooper. I'm a food manufacturing engineer based in Illinois. My career has taken me inside some of the most demanding USDA and FDA regulated environments — from Cargill's protein operations to Del Real Foods, Rupari Food Services, and Matt's Cookie Co.
I've led engineering teams through SQF audits and FDA inspections, managed multi-million dollar CAPEX projects, implemented CMMS programs from scratch, and programmed PLC systems at 2am when a line needed to run by morning.
That's the gap I, with a small team of Industry experts, fill — giving smaller manufacturers access to the same caliber of engineering expertise that big companies take for granted, at a cost that makes sense for their size.
Education: BS Electrical Engineering, Six Sigma Green Belt, SQF Practitioner
Technical: PLC/SCADA/HMI (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Omron, Mitsubishi), Sanitary & Hygienic Design (3-A / EHEDG), CAPEX Planning, CMMS Implementation
Audits: SQF Editions 8 & 9, FDA/USDA, Costco & Walmart Supplier Audits, Kosher, Halal, Non-GMO, & Organic
Book a free 30-minute discovery call — or send me a message. I respond personally to every inquiry, usually within one business day. No sales pitch. No pressure.
In 30 minutes we'll cover your plant's current engineering challenges, upcoming audits or CAPEX projects, and whether fractional engineering is the right fit.
Prefer email? Reach me directly at [YOUR EMAIL]. I work with a maximum of three fractional clients at a time — if you're interested in a retainer engagement, reach out soon.
Based in Barrington, Illinois. Available for on-site visits throughout the Midwest and nationwide for Director-tier clients. Remote services available anywhere in the United States.
Your Food Plant Needs Expert Engineering Leadership.