Season 7 Kickoff: The Conveyor Cougar on Leadership, Legacy and Staying Relevant in Automation
Season seven of Automation Ladies is officially here, and we are starting strong.
If you have spent time in industrial automation, you may already know her. If not, you are about to.
This episode features Cathy “Conveyor Cougar” Rinne, president of Flex-Line Automation, a woman-owned systems integrator known for practical engineering, fast turnaround times, and real-world automation solutions.
If you want more from Cathy, you can also revisit her earlier appearances on the show:
From Packing Boxes to President
Cathy co-founded Flex-Line Automation 42 years ago with her husband and in-laws. What began as a conveyor integration company in southern Illinois has grown into an operation that integrates robotics, builds packaging equipment, and continues to innovate in modern manufacturing.
Her path to president did not follow a traditional corporate ladder. It looked more like this:
Turning wrenches
Packing parts
Managing inventory
Handling bookkeeping
Raising a daughter
Solving whatever problem showed up that day
In her words, she handled “every role nobody else wanted.”
When her father-in-law retired, there was no one else who understood every corner of the business. Cathy stepped in because she knew how everything worked.
Today she describes her role as the captain of the ship. She sets direction, charts the course, and helps the team navigate change in a small family-run business where trust matters more than hierarchy.
Keeping a 42-Year-Old Company Relevant
Flex-Line Automation began as a conveyor integrator. About 15 years ago Cathy saw the market changing.
Conveyance alone was not enough.
Staying relevant required evolution.
The company expanded into robotics integration and developed its own patented robotic box erector called boxEZ. Now they are also expanding into gluing capabilities because taping alone does not always meet customer needs.
For Cathy, staying relevant is a daily responsibility. She thinks about it constantly.
In recent years, that has also meant embracing artificial intelligence.
AI in a 15-Person Company
Flex-Line Automation has about 15 employees. That means a small team covering many roles and generations.
When Cathy first returned from a trade show talking about conversational robotics and AI-driven coding, some engineers believed it was still a decade away.
Today AI is part of many internal processes.
The team is exploring ways to use AI to:
Automate quoting
Streamline drawings
Reduce repetitive engineering work
Free up engineers for higher-value tasks
The internal reaction varies by generation. Younger engineers are eager to experiment, while others are more cautious.
Cathy’s perspective is straightforward. Companies can resist AI, or they can learn how to use it. For an automation company, adopting automation internally simply makes sense.
Farm-Grown Ingenuity
Cathy also lives on a 320-acre farm.
Before the workday even begins, she has often solved several practical problems. That background shaped her approach to engineering and leadership.
Her philosophy is simple:
Use what you have
Fix what breaks
Try things yourself
Do not wait for someone else to solve the problem
Farmers, she says, are some of the most innovative automation thinkers in the world. Technologies like auto-steer tractors and robotic milking systems grew from necessity.
That mindset carries into Flex-Line Automation. The focus is always on practical solutions and hands-on problem solving.
If you are interested in how automation is transforming agriculture and food production, check out our previous episode with Vinny Endres, who specializes in automation for dairy farms, grain systems, and fresh produce operations.
Vinny is also one of the speakers at OT SCADA CON, the Automation Ladies community conference focused on real-world industrial automation. His session explores agricultural automation and how modern control systems, robotics, and integration are reshaping the way farms operate.
The Conveyor Cougar Effect
Then there is TikTok.
After investing heavily in traditional marketing with limited results, Cathy decided to experiment with social media. A 12-year-old showed her how to start using TikTok.
The results surprised everyone.
More than 1,500 followers
A significant increase in website traffic
A recognizable personal brand in a crowded automation industry
Her nickname, “The Conveyor Cougar,” stands out. In a field where many companies sound similar, memorability helps.
Her approach to social media is simple. It is not about viral content. It is about planting seeds, building trust, and meeting engineers where they spend time online.
Why Integrators Still Matter
Another key topic in the episode is a common misconception.
If a company sells FlexLink conveyors, why not buy directly from the manufacturer?
Cathy explains that system integrators add value in ways manufacturers cannot always provide.
Integrators customize solutions, solve unique production challenges, and respond quickly when problems arise.
Flex-Line Automation also keeps inventory available for urgent needs. Cathy has personally packed emergency parts on weekends and, in some cases, even flown parts to customers because both she and her husband are pilots.
That kind of responsiveness comes from a close-knit company focused on relationships and service.
Bringing Trade Shows to Rural Manufacturers
Cathy and her daughter Lauren also organize a local Automation Fair in southern Illinois.
The idea came after hearing two manufacturers at a trade show say, “I didn’t even know they made that.”
You cannot search for technology if you do not know it exists.
Instead of expecting rural manufacturers to travel across the country, Flex-Line Automation brings the technology to them.
The event includes:
No exhibitor fees
Free lunch
Multiple vendors
Hosted directly at their facility
They intentionally avoid promoting their own booth. The goal is exposure, education, and access for manufacturers who might otherwise miss these opportunities.
Leadership, Letting Go and Growing Forward
After more than four decades in automation, Cathy has learned one of leadership’s toughest lessons.
She cannot do everything herself.
Early in her career she built the company by doing things her way. Today she focuses on helping others find their own path and grow into leadership roles.
That shift allows the company to evolve and prepares the next generation to take the reins.
Final Takeaway
This episode goes far beyond conveyors, robots, or ERP systems.
It is about longevity, adaptability, and leadership across generations.
Whether you are building manufacturing systems, launching a startup, or exploring how AI fits into your business, Cathy’s story shows that staying relevant is not about age. It is about curiosity, adaptability, and the willingness to keep learning.
If you enjoy conversations like this and want to meet the engineers, integrators, and innovators shaping the future of automation, check out OT SACADA CON. The event brings together automation professionals from across industries for hands-on learning, technical sessions, and meaningful industry connections.
Open Automation, Engineering Efficiency, & Workforce Transformation
