Refrigeration Design
Engineering for ammonia and freon-based refrigeration systems supporting coolers, freezers, cold rooms, and process environments in food, beverage, pharma, and biotech facilities.
Hixson delivers Industrial Refrigeration Engineering Services in Utah for food, beverage, pharma, and cold chain operations that need reliable low-temperature performance. From ammonia and freon systems to blast freezing, controls, and PSM documentation, our integrated engineers help facilities handle Utah’s dry climate, elevation-related design considerations, and fast-growing distribution demands with confidence.

Integrated refrigeration engineering for cold storage, freezing systems, controls, utilities, and compliance-driven industrial facilities.
Engineering for ammonia and freon-based refrigeration systems supporting coolers, freezers, cold rooms, and process environments in food, beverage, pharma, and biotech facilities.
Design of refrigerated warehouses, frozen storage, dock seals, racking, AS/RS, shuttle systems, and cold chain logistics infrastructure for temperature-controlled operations.
Engineering support for blast freezing, IQF freezing, frozen food processing, glaze application, frozen storage, and refrigerated warehouse integration with sanitary facility layouts.
Process Safety Management and hazard analysis services for ammonia refrigeration, including HAZOP, PHA, OSHA 1910.119 program support, and EPA RMP considerations.
Controls and automation engineering for refrigeration systems, including PLC and HMI development, network design, FAT/SAT, startup, commissioning, and operational optimization.
Integrated mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, structural, and civil engineering to align refrigeration loads with building systems and process requirements.

Hixson begins by documenting product temperatures, storage profiles, production schedules, utility demands, and regulatory requirements. For Utah facilities, elevation, dry outdoor conditions, and seasonal temperature swings are considered early in refrigeration load planning.
Hixson supports leading food, beverage, pharma, and cold chain clients with complex facility engineering.
Hixson brings integrated engineering depth to complex refrigeration-driven facility projects.
Founded in 1948, Hixson brings deep industrial facility experience to Utah refrigeration projects.
Twenty in-house technical disciplines coordinate refrigeration, architecture, utilities, controls, and compliance.
Focused expertise in food, beverage, pharma, biotech, laboratories, and cold chain operations.
PSM, HAZOP, controls, and utility planning help Utah facilities avoid costly redesigns.
Experienced leaders guide multidisciplinary refrigeration and facility projects.

Manager, Plumbing Systems & Fire Protection Engineering
John oversees the department responsible for the design and engineering of plumbing systems and fire protection engineering for a variety of project types, including new construction, building utility upgrades, utility capacity analyses, and process line additions. John and his team work with a range of systems, including domestic water, process water, hot water production, direct contact water heaters, high pressure/rinse water, compressed air, natural gas, sanitary drainage, process drainage, central sanitation systems, fire pumps, and fire sprinkler systems.

Manager, Controls & Automation Engineering
As the Manager of Hixson's Controls & Automation department, Craig guides the team responsible for designing, implementing, and commissioning advanced control systems and automation solutions. His responsibilities include overseeing the development of automation strategies that streamline manufacturing processes, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure seamless integration of new and existing systems.

Manager, Process Engineering
Warren leads the team providing processing design services, process optimization studies, and process commissioning and FAT, SAT, and IQ activities. He advises on waste, energy, and GHG emissions reductions, and conducts safety and dust evaluations, including PSM/HAZOP. His expertise spans all food and beverage sectors including fluid, dried and cultured dairy products, processed meat, flavors, and prepared foods. Warren is also on the IDFA Food Safety Committee and actively participates in the 3A, SSI steering committee, and work groups.

Manager, Civil Engineering
In his role as Manager of Civil Engineering, Steve leads the team responsible for the planning, design, and engineering of roads, stormwater hydraulics and modeling, and onsite utilities. On project work, Steve is responsible for civil site project design, specifications, technical design, and project coordination with the client, government regulatory bodies, outside consultants, and contractors. As a senior staff member with our firm, Steve also serves as a mentor to newer associates.

Vice President & Director, Project Management Services
Chris, a Hixson officer and member of the Board of Directors, oversees Hixson’s Project Management, Cost Estimating, and Construction Administration departments. Chris also serves in a project management role, leading teams consisting of representatives from the client, Hixson, contractors, and vendors to effective project completion. Chris assumes overall responsibility for development of project delivery strategies, coordination of all Hixson disciplines, and facilitating effective communication and management to focus resources on delivering high-quality projects on time and within budget.

Manager, Mechanical Engineering
Dave brings more than three decades of experience to his role as the Manager of Hixson’s Mechanical Engineering Department. His work has included the design and project management of new facilities, as well as modification of existing facilities for high technology and food processing industries. At a corporate level, Dave is a member of Hixson’s Dairy and Beverage Industry team, which works to continuously improve the value Hixson offers to the dairy industry through development of our knowledge base, services and capabilities.

Manager, Electrical Engineering
Kyle serves as the Manager of Hixson’s Electrical Engineering department. In this role, he oversees the team responsible for the creation and delivery of electrical designs. This includes the design of high, medium, and low voltage power distribution, lighting, telecommunications, and fire alarm systems. Kyle brings more than 15 years of experience in electrical consulting and design to his role. Areas in which Kyle specializes include electrically hazardous area classification, high- and medium-voltage power distribution, protective relaying, arc flash studies, harmonics analysis, cogeneration design, emergency systems design, and complex laboratory designs.

Senior Vice President, and Director, Mechanical & Electrical Engineering
Scott, an officer of the firm, leads the teams responsible for mechanical and electrical project tasks and design, specifications, technical content, consultation during equipment selection and installation and systems start-up assistance. In addition, Scott also serves as the Quality Assurance Manager, overseeing the firm’s commitment to quality. Over Scott’s more than three decades of experience, he has worked on greenfield, brownfield, and renovation projects for food & beverage plants in all sectors, labs, pharma & biotech facilities, and workplace projects.

Manager, Manufacturing Engineering
In his role as Manager of Hixson’s Manufacturing Engineering department, Scott leads the team responsible for project consulting and coordination between client, vendor, and internal disciplines within Hixson for overall manufacturing processes, functionality, equipment, and layouts. These team members develop process flow diagrams, equipment lists, and preliminary utility requirements, as well as develop equipment layouts that range from high level master planning to detailed construction documents. In addition to this role, Scott is a member of Hixson’s Meat Industry advisory team, focusing on technologies related to the meat and plant protein industry.

Director of Architecture
Derek is the Director of Hixson’s Architecture department. In this role, Derek leads the teams who design projects for our Food & Beverage, Pharma & Biotech, Laboratory, and Workplace clients. Previously, Derek served as the Manager of Hixson’s Process Layout department, where he directed the team that plays a critical coordination role in the overall development of process models and the 3D equipment model management process. Prior to these management roles, Derek, who began his career with Hixson in 2008, served as a Project Architect.
Industrial refrigeration commonly uses ammonia (NH3) because it is efficient, cost-effective, and widely accepted for large food, beverage, and cold storage operations. Freon-based systems, CO2 systems, and hybrid approaches may also be used depending on safety requirements, temperature range, facility size, maintenance capabilities, and sustainability goals. Hixson evaluates refrigerant selection alongside PSM, controls, utilities, and lifecycle performance.
Talk with Hixson’s engineering team about your facility goals.
Hixson provides refrigeration engineering for Utah facilities and complex projects throughout North America.
North America
Service Area
1948
Founded
4.5 Stars
Google Rating
Ask Hixson how our team can support your project.
Certified workplace with strong associate culture.
Ranked No. 178 by Interior Design magazine.
Recognized in core architecture and engineering sectors.
Share your facility goals, temperature requirements, compliance needs, and project timeline. Hixson will help identify the right engineering path forward.
For immediate assistance, feel free to give us a direct call at +1 513-241-1230. You can also send us a quick email at info@hixson-inc.com.
For immediate assistance, feel free to give us a direct call at +1 513-241-1230. You can also send us a quick email at info@hixson-inc.com.