About Us
Competitive improvement and technological innovation from our chemistry and engineering background.
Siege Engineering specializes in process and equipment design for the chemical industry. Our team of engineers and project managers have extensive experience commercializing new technologies, designing, building, and operating advanced manufacturing facilities. At Siege, we are unsurpassed for delivering innovative technology solutions to a diverse client base which is how we maintain a dynamic, diversified portfolio of raw material cost advantages, utilities, operating budgets, and capital investment.
Our Philosophy
Our passion is helping our clients develop innovative processes from conception to operation by providing a global network of engineers with vast industry-leading experience, practices, and international support. Our mission is to present better solutions that help manage leadership positions within market segments. Ultimately, our goal is to increase value, improve products or services, and achieve the best design and systems to enhance our client's position.
Management
Trent J. Weiss, P.E.
Trent Weiss founded Siege Engineering to set a new global standard for elite chemical process engineering and technology consulting. His 30 years of experience includes operations management, process design, technology development, and project engineering in specialty and commodity petrochemicals. Trent has master’s degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Houston and organic chemistry from Rice University. His BS degree is from Texas A&M University, and he has been a licensed Professional Engineer in Texas since 2003. His expertise includes complex reactions and distillation systems in continuous or batch operation modes. He also builds and maintains DCS systems. (Honeywell, Yokogawa, Delta V).
Janeen Brimacombe
Janeen Brimacombe is an accomplished entrepreneur who followed a senior career in the US government, serving as a director on the National Security Council and in the White House while founding a successful technology startup, OmniCompete, which she took to exit. OmniCompete Ltd. provided a platform for crowdsourcing innovation with a particular focus on emerging technologies relevant to national security. The idea for OmniCompete was conceived while Janeen was earning her MBA at the London Business School, which subsequently awarded her its annual prize for entrepreneurial achievement. Janeen also holds a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and a BS in Chemical Engineering from Wayne State University.
Lina Matar
Lina Matar brings a wealth of sales and marketing experience from Xerox and medical device representation. She has been in Business Development since 1984. Lina has a Bachelors degree from Lamar University and has been a top echelon sales executive in the southern region for 20 years with Xerox. She was also the Top national medical orthopedic sales representative in multiple device lines. Her mission is to build strategic partnerships and promote Siege's ideas, initiatives, and activities. As the Business Development leader, Lina will help create long-term value through clients, markets, and relationships to increase revenues, business growth, and profitability.
Consultants
Lee Bergman
Lee Bergman has over 50 Years of experience across a broad spectrum of chemical technologies, engineering, and operations. The majority of this time was directed at bringing new processes to be successful and safe commercial operations or making process improvements to existing units. Lee accomplished this from positions within R/D, process & project engineering and operations, and management to levels up to President of a specialty chemical/ development firm.
John Stephens
John Stephens has a BS in chemistry from Texas A&M and did graduate work in organic chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh. He also has an MBA from Geneva College. He specializes in polymer chemistry, has had R&D roles in the industry, and has been a professor and lecturer for colleges in the Pittsburgh area.
Dale Sperlin
Dale Sperlin has a BS degree in chemical engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno (2003) and is a licensed Professional Engineer (Tennessee, 2010). He can design and simulate processes and has extensive experience creating operating manuals and documentation control. His focus areas are Process and P&ID development, Control Narratives, Cause & Effect Diagrams, and sizing of equipment and PSVs. His technical experience includes Biodiesel, Acid Gas Removal, Natural Gas Liquids, and Fischer-Tropsch technologies. Dale also has start-up and commissioning experience in Biodiesel, Natural Gas Liquids, and Air Separation Units.
Troy Porter
Troy Porter has a BS degree in chemical engineering from LSU and has three years of experience in the chemical and refining business. He can design, build, and help operate chemical facilities which are safe, efficient, and profitable. His focus areas are separation processes, hydraulics, heat exchange, and P&ID development.
Austin Seaux
Austin Seaux has a BS degree in chemical engineering and chemistry from Lamar University. He engaged in research projects at Lamar University. He has also participated in Motiva (Chemist Intern at the RDCC Lab and Method Development) and Valero (Environmental Intern on Heater MACT Updates and Permitting Actions) internships.
Chirag Patel
Chirag Patel has a BS in Chemical Engineering. He has learned the importance of applying analytical strategies to modern-day projects. He has participated in AIChe Student Design competition which taught him how to apply fundamental principles to automated systems in both defense and oil industries He has a passion for innovation, prototyping, and high-quality manufacturing.
Lina Zhao
Lina Zhao has a PhD degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kansas, 2010 and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) since 2019. She has 15-year industrial experience in process development and commercialization in specialty chemicals and petroleum refining. She has had R&D roles with SINOPEC, Momentive Performance Materials, Hexion and W. R. Grace. Her focus areas are process simulation and modeling, conceptual process design, PFD development, process scaling-up from lab-, pilot-scale to plant trials. She has proven-track records of successful commercialization of variety of new products, and providing technical support for plant trials, startups and troubleshooting manufacturing process problems. Her technical specialties include distillation/reactive distillation, hydrotreating/hydrocracking, Fluidized bed, slurry and STR reactors, catalytic processes, heterogeneous catalysts preparation, solid handling.