EPIC Systems, Inc
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Engineering, fabrication, automation |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | John R. Schott, Matt Quinn |
| Headquarters | Saint Louis , United States |
Area served | United States, 17 countries including India, China, Australia, Germany, United Kingdom |
Key people | John R. Schott (President and owner) |
| Products | Electrical, process, instrumentation and control systems; modular process plants; packaging and assembly line solutions; custom machinery; machine vision systems |
Number of employees | 50 (2009) |
EPIC Systems, Inc. is an American engineering and fabrication company headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri, specializing in electrical, process, instrumentation, and control systems—attributes represented by its acronym. Established in 1995 as a private automation firm, EPIC has since broadened its scope to include modular process plant construction, integrated packaging and assembly line solutions, custom machinery production, and machine vision system integration.
From 2005 through 2008, EPIC underwent significant revenue expansion, achieving a 21% growth rate over this period and reaching a staff size of 50 by 2009. The firm secured the #71 spot among the Inc. 500’s Top 100 Fastest Growing Engineering Companies nationwide and ranked #55 within Missouri. Additionally, the St. Louis Post Dispatch honored EPIC as a “Top Place to Work” in 2013.
Founding and Initial Development
In 1995, plant engineers John R. Schott, P.E., and Matt Quinn established EPIC with an initial investment of $1,000 from their personal savings. Utilizing their technical expertise, they focused on providing consulting, design engineering, and automation services tailored to manufacturing industries, specifically targeting process plants and packaging line integration.
By 1997, EPIC had grown to include a fabrication facility to support modular process plant projects. This expansion marked the transition from pure consulting and automation into four distinct divisions: process plant design/build, fabrication services, construction management, and automation solutions. By the end of 1999, EPIC was delivering comprehensive design/build packages for industrial clients.
Accelerated Growth Phase
In 2001, St. Louis Commerce Magazine recognized EPIC as a FAST 50 Newcomer. The company continued its momentum by securing two growth-related accolades in 2004—the Regional Technology Award and the St. Louis Fast 50 Technology Award—and later became a multiple-time recipient of these honors.
EPIC’s workforce expanded from just two employees to nearly 30 by 2004. Concurrently, the company moved into a new 40,000-square-foot facility in St. Louis featuring dedicated zones for industrial and sanitary fabrication that comply with ASME Bioprocessing Equipment standards for both carbon steel and stainless steel.
The year 2008 saw EPIC broaden its operations by introducing a line integration division focused on designing and building packaging and assembly lines alongside establishing a custom machinery group producing specialized equipment. That same year introduced the annual “EPIC Way Award,” created to recognize exceptional employee performance.
Organizational Changes and Sustained Expansion
Between 2005 and 2008, EPIC not only experienced rapid revenue increases but also grew its employee base to around 50 individuals. In 2009, co-founder Matt Quinn sold his interest in the company to John Schott, who assumed full ownership and the role of President.
Further diversification occurred in 2011 with the introduction of Insta-Panel—a comprehensive automation solution featuring a versatile HMI—designed to assist manufacturers in swiftly upgrading industrial control systems. During this time, EPIC also completed delivery of a custom turnkey medical device assembly machine for a prominent biotechnology client.
In response to growing demand for machine vision solutions, EPIC expanded its facility by an additional 7,000 square feet in 2012 to support its machine vision division’s growth. This development helped EPIC earn the Cognex “Partner System Integrator of the Year Award” for national expansion in machine vision systems. The company was also recognized as a finalist for Control Engineering’s Integrator of the Year award in both 2012 and 2013.
Business Model
Established in 1995 and based in St. Louis, Missouri, EPIC is an engineering and automation company that primarily caters to the U.S. market. The firm maintains a presence in 17 countries, including India, China, Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Modular Process Systems
EPIC Systems, Inc. is recognized for its expertise in creating modular plant and process systems—compact, transportable units designed as alternatives to conventional construction methods. These modular solutions serve a range of sectors such as petrochemical, chemical, alternative fuels (notably Gas to Liquid), agriculture, food and beverage, and consumer goods. The principal modular products include:
- Raw Material Storage and Delivery Systems
- Batch Processing Solutions
- Batch Reactor Systems
- Batch Mixing Systems
- Chemical Separation Solutions
- Industrial Distillation Units
- Coating Systems
- Continuous Production Technologies
- Continuous Inline Blending Systems
- Industrial Pipe Bridge Structures
- Utility Systems
- Heat Transfer Solutions
- Electric Heat Trace Systems
- Process Chillers
- Nitrogen Generation Units
- Fuel Delivery Systems
- Clean-In-Place (CIP) Solutions
- Industrial Wastewater Treatment Facilities
- Pilot Plant Facilities
- Plant Scale-up Services
- Production Plant Installations
[Packaging] Line Integration
EPIC provides tailored services for full production line integration with an emphasis on packaging line systems.
Machine Vision System Integration
The company implements machine vision solutions by utilizing advanced lighting and intelligent camera technologies to develop, construct, and automate inspection and imaging processes.