PLC control and electrical automation for industry
ESIP designs, programs and maintains control systems for machines and process installations. From the EPLAN drawings and the control cabinet to the TIA Portal software and commissioning on the shop floor.
- Siemens PLC control: S7-300, S7-400, S7-1200 and S7-1500
- TIA Portal and SIMATIC Manager
- Fail-safe control
- SINAMICS drives (G120, G120C and S120)
- WinCC Unified
- EPLAN Electric P8
- PROFINET, MRP and PROFIBUS
Services
New machines, extensions to existing lines or an installation that has to run again today: ESIP takes on the complete electrical and software scope, or supports your own maintenance team where needed.
PLC programming and automation
Control software for new machines and modifications to existing installations, in Siemens S7 and TIA Portal. The code is structured and documented, with a functional description your maintenance team can follow.
- Fail-safe control for emergency stops, guard monitoring, light curtains and two-hand operation
- Frequency converters and servo drives, PID control of flow, level and pressure
- Level, flow, pressure, weight, turbidity, temperature and pH measurement, with instrumentation from VEGA, KROHNE, Endress+Hauser, Hach and others
- Barcode, DMC and RFID identification
- PLC-to-PLC communication, MRP rings and links to other systems
Retrofit and migration
Spare parts no longer available, a control system nobody dares to change, or drawings that no longer match the cabinet. ESIP moves existing installations to a current platform. Together we decide which components stay and which are replaced, keeping downtime to a minimum.
- Migration from S5, S7-300 and S7-400 (SIMATIC Manager) to S7-1500 in TIA Portal
- Migration from S7-1200 G1 to S7-1200 G2
- Revising or redrawing schematics in EPLAN
- Reviewing and updating safety functions
- Process extensions and modifications
- Remote operation and diagnostics
Siemens product phase-outs.
S7-300: available as spare parts only since 1 October 2025.
S7-400: phase-out of the central modules (including CPU 414-3, 416-2 and 416F-3) announced as of 1 October 2026.
S7-1200 G1: discontinued as of 1 November 2026, orderable until 31 October 2027.
A planned migration prevents a failed CPU from causing a long standstill later on.
Troubleshooting and maintenance
A machine that stands still costs money. Because ESIP knows the electrical and pneumatic side as well as the software, faults are found quickly, also when the cause is not in the PLC. For urgent call-outs, please phone directly.
- Diagnostics on frequency converters and drives
- Contactors, protection devices and power circuits
- Analog measurement loops and signal converters
- PROFINET and network issues
- Preventive maintenance of control cabinets and machines
Schematics, control cabinets and cabling
Electrical schematics in EPLAN Electric P8, building and wiring control cabinets, and cabling to the field instrumentation. Electro-pneumatic and electro-hydraulic controls are part of it too. At handover you receive drawings that match what was actually built.
Electrical installations
Alongside industrial projects, ESIP carries out electrical installations and renovations for businesses and homeowners, with the same care for a tidy board and correct documentation.
- KNX home and building automation: programming and commissioning
- Network installations with switches, Wi-Fi access points and cameras
- Single-line diagrams and site plans
- Tracing electrical faults
Project examples
A selection of recent assignments. Customer names are not published without permission.
| Application | Scope | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Water treatment | Conversion of a water treatment plant, with the electrical and software scope fully by ESIP. More than 40 pumps and motors, 21 of them on SINAMICS G120C. Around 30 measuring points for flow, level, pressure, pH and analysis with instrumentation from KROHNE, VEGA, Endress+Hauser and Hach. More than 500 I/O, with fail-safe emergency stop circuits. | CPU 1512SP F, ET 200SP, SINAMICS G120C, SIMATIC WinCC Unified PC, EPLAN |
| Soil remediation | Extension of an existing plant with 25 frequency converters: design and build of a new high-power cabinet with drives up to 45 kW, modifications to the existing installation and updating the schematics. | CPU 1512SP F, SINAMICS G120C, EPLAN |
| Wastewater treatment | Continuous pH control in a wastewater process: selection of the measurement chain and integration into the existing control system. Ongoing project. | Siemens S7, Endress+Hauser Memosens |
| Servo-driven machine | One TIA project in three hardware variants: full machine, single-axis machine and test stand. Test stand mode with a virtual master and an operator manual. | S7-1200 G2, SINAMICS S120 |
| Fruit farm | Phased renewal of the electrical installation: new distribution boards and feeders, lighting for the sorting hall, a completely new network with Wi-Fi, and schematics drawn where none existed. | Low voltage, network |
Approach
Every project follows the same steps, whether it is a single modification or a complete machine.
- Site visit We look at the installation and discuss what it needs to do.
- Proposal and quotation A clear description of the scope, the schedule and the price.
- Engineering Schematics, functional description and PLC software, aligned with your maintenance team.
- Execution Cabinet building, cabling and installation, scheduled around your production.
- Commissioning Testing signals and functions together with your operators and maintenance staff.
- Handover and support As-built drawings, a functional description and support afterwards.
About ESIP
ESIP stands for Engineering Solutions in Industrial Programming. ESIP BV is the company of Dries De Paep, who carries out every assignment himself: from the first visit and the engineering to commissioning and follow-up. ESIP works from Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, for companies in the Waasland, the left-bank port area of Antwerp and the Ghent region.
Dries has worked in industrial electrical engineering since 2012, from installation work on the shop floor to engineering and programming. Today most of the work takes place in the pharmaceutical industry, on production lines where downtime has to be kept to a minimum. ESIP brings that approach to every customer, including smaller jobs.
- One point of contact You always talk to the person who knows your installation and does the work.
- Documentation that matches Drawings and software are updated until they reflect the installation as built.
- Available after handover For a fault or a question later on, you can call directly.
Career
| 2012–2019 | Summer jobs with an industrial electrical contractor |
| 2019–2021 | Automation engineer at an engineering company, including the complete electrical installation and PLC software of a soil remediation plant |
| 2020–2022 | Co-owner of a company building pump skids and small process units: schematics and software |
| 2021 | Start of ESIP as a self-employed engineer, a private limited company since 2023 |
| 2021–2022 | EPLAN schematics for machine building at JBT |
| 2022–2023 | R&D projects at Capsugel |
| 2024 | Conversion of a water treatment plant, electrical and software |
| 2025–now | Maintenance and engineering at Capsugel/Lonza |
Education
| 2013–2016 | Professional bachelor’s degree in electromechanics, automation track, AP University of Applied Sciences Antwerp |
| 2016 | Internship and bachelor’s thesis at Siemens: RFID applications, demo setups and customer support |
| 2016–2019 | Industrial engineer in electromechanics (Master of Science in Engineering Technology), KU Leuven. Master’s thesis at Process Automation Solutions (January–May 2019): simulation of a distillation column in WinMOD |
Frequently asked questions
Which region does ESIP cover?
Within about an hour’s drive of Sint-Niklaas outside rush hour: the Waasland and the left-bank port area of Antwerp, the Ghent and Dendermonde regions, and Klein-Brabant. For assignments in Antwerp or further away, feel free to get in touch.
Do I receive the schematics and software of my installation?
You receive the electrical schematics of your installation after handover and full payment. The PLC software remains the property of ESIP: you may use it in your installation without restriction, but the project files are not handed over. That way it is always clear who is responsible for how the installation works. If you do need the project files, this is possible by prior agreement. For KNX installations in private homes, you do receive the project file.
Does ESIP only work with Siemens?
Most projects run on Siemens S7 and TIA Portal. Installations with other brands can also be maintained or migrated. We assess this per project.
Can I order only schematics or only software?
Yes. ESIP can deliver the complete project, or just one part: only the EPLAN schematics, only the PLC software, or support for your own team during commissioning.
Does ESIP work on a fixed quotation or on an hourly basis?
Both. Projects with a clear scope receive a quotation. Breakdowns, small changes and support are carried out and invoiced on an hourly basis.
What do I do in case of an urgent breakdown?
Call directly using the button at the top of the page. If there is a remote connection to the installation, diagnostics can often start right away.
Discuss your project
Call or email with a short description of the installation and what you want to achieve. Photos of the control cabinet or the nameplate help to make a quick first assessment.
| Phone | +32 487 55 62 55 (Dries De Paep) |
| Show email address | |
| Address | Klapperbeekstraat 112, 9100 Sint-Niklaas, Belgium Show on map |
| Service area | Waasland, left-bank port of Antwerp, Ghent region, Dendermonde and Klein-Brabant; further by arrangement |