Colin Cartwright

Background

About Colin Cartwright

As the Director of Industry Development for Packaging across North America, I lead our strategic initiatives for the packaging industry in the U.S, Canada, and Mexico. Our team works closely with packaging machine builders, OEMs, and CPGs to implement proven connectivity concepts that drive both machine and business performance. By leveraging decentralized automation and IP67 connectivity, we help automation teams transition away from outdated terminal-based architectures toward cleaner, modular systems. The result: faster builds, simpler wiring, and far fewer issues during startup and production. Our decentralized concepts also reduce reliance on tribal knowledge, making it much easier to train new technicians, which is critical in today’s skilled labour shortage. Where we bring value: • Cutting build and debug time by 30-50% with distributed IP67 I/O, power, and data • Helping OEMs standardize connectivity to reduce complexity and onboarding effort • Improving commissioning reliability by minimizing terminations and troubleshooting • Reducing dependence on experienced labour through simpler, modular architecture • Supporting CPGs with plant-wide connectivity strategies that lower downtime • Guiding engineering and executive teams through the shift to decentralized design Outside the day job: I host Machine Builder Talk, a podcast where automation pros share hard-won lessons from the field. I write for trade publications and post regularly on LinkedIn about control systems, connectivity, and practical automation. I founded Automation Happy Hour, a casual meetup for a beer and open conversations - no slides, no pitches. I also wrote ChatGPT for B2B Sales, an Amazon #1 bestseller that lays the foundations for sales teams to use AI to work faster and communicate better. I believe the future of automation depends on removing complexity, developing new technical talent, and building an industry grounded in openness and performance. If you’re building the next generation of machines or looking for ways to reduce build times and simplify your control systems, let’s connect.