Season seven opens with a burst of grit and ingenuity as we sit down with Cathy “Conveyor Cougar” Rinne, president of FlexLine Automation. She’s built a 15-person, woman-owned integrator that moves fast, ships parts when it counts, and isn’t afraid to retool the playbook—from conveyors to robotics, from taping to a gluing-capable box erector, and from cold calls to a TikTok presence that actually drives qualified attention.
We dig into what a president really does in a family business: setting direction, teaching the team to own outcomes, and letting go of “my way” so the next generation can lead. Kathy walks us through deploying AI where it matters—automating drawings, quoting, and repetitive engineering tasks—while managing ERP fatigue and bridging generational skepticism. Her take is grounded and sharp: if an automation company won’t automate itself, the market will notice.
The conversation detours through farm country for a reason. Kathy’s lifelong ties to agriculture inform how she solves factory problems: use what you have, fix what breaks, and design for reality, not a brochure. We talk autosteer tractors, robotic milking, and why rural manufacturers are often overlooked despite carrying so much of our GDP. That’s why Kathy and her daughter host a free automation fair in southern Illinois, because you can’t Google what you don’t know, and engineers deserve to touch the tech before they buy.
We also tackle a myth that won’t die: “go direct” is not always cheaper or faster. Custom reach studies, multi-size changeovers, and hybrid conveyor builds demand an integrator’s judgment, inventory, and speed. FlexLine keeps enough parts to turn around a hundred feet of conveyor in 24 hours, answers with a human, and has literally flown urgent orders. Pair that with smart, authentic social content that meets engineers on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok, and you get a modern path to trust. Person by person, plant by plant.
If you care about real-world automation (AI that saves hours, robots that fit the job, and service that shows up) this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a teammate who needs a spark, and leave a quick review with your favorite takeaway so we can reach more builders like you.
🔗 Connect with Cathy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%90%86-cathy-rinne-a1764a11/
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🎙 About Automation Ladies
Automation Ladies is an industrial automation podcast spotlighting the engineers, integrators, innovators, and leaders shaping the future of manufacturing.
🌐 Podcast Website: https://automationladies.io
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Get in touch with us at automationladies.io!
Nikki Gonzales: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-gonzales
Courtney Fernandez: https://linkedin.com/in/courtneydfernandez
Ali G: https://linkedin.com/in/alicia-gilpin-ali-g-process-controls-engineering
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