Meet our Industry Person of the Week, Lauren (Rinne) Van De Mark, the Sales & Marketing Manager at Flex-Line Automation, Inc., a women-owned business specializing in integrated material handling solutions.
Q: How did you get started working in your field?
Lauren: Industrial automation is a curse on my family line, but all joking aside, I was quite literally born into it. My grandfather was given the opportunity to become one of the first system integrators for FlexLink and he, grandma, mom, and dad started Flex-Line Automation, Inc. in grandpa’s farm shop shortly before I was born. So, the company and I have really grown up together, and I can’t imagine working in any field other than industrial automation. 8020 calls themselves the industrial erector set, but I think any modular conveyor components manufacturer could have a similar claim to fame. Playing with all of the FlexLink parts was a great way to grow up, and it gave me a great perspective and a set of skills that are uniquely useful when it comes to customer service. Last summer I impressed our newest employees by having them pull parts off the shelves from our inventory and describe them to me. When I was able to identify the part numbers without looking at the parts they thought I was a psychic! But really, that is just what being 39 with 39 years of experience gets you! It has been incredibly interesting to see the natural transition of Flex-Line as primarily a tabletop conveyor supplier to adding other lines and types of equipment as our customers’ needs have changed, and I am so excited about the new technologies being adopted in material handling. I am so lucky to have such an interesting career, and I can’t wait to see where the industry goes next.
Q: What do you love the most about your job? What are you most proud of?
Lauren: I love helping people. Every day I get to meet new people and help find solutions to their material handling problems. It doesn’t matter if I am helping identify a spare part, providing a quote for a conveyor or robotic cell, or even just suggesting a solution to consider nothing gives me more satisfaction than being able to know that what I do makes someone else’s life easier, safer, or better in general. There are so many things that I could say I am most proud of! That is really hard to narrow down, but recently I got the nicest thank you note from a new customer thanking me for helping him find some documentation and pricing. I didn’t do anything I considered special; but I definitely printed that email out and ran into my mom’s office with it because I was so flabbergasted when I got it.
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering this line of work or new to the field?
Lauren: Go for it. Go for it. Go for it. There are so many opportunities in manufacturing and automation that can lead to wonderful, interesting, and rewarding careers. There are roles for everyone too – don’t think you have to get a mechatronics degree in order to play with robots! Not only are there wonderful free training programs online, but there are also so many employers who would love to train you to be a technician, or a salesperson, or marketer. If you have an interest in automation there is a spot for you.
Q: Can you talk about a project you recently worked on?
Lauren: Last year, I attended an Illinois Manufacturing Association event that opened my eyes to the needs of other regional businesses. During a forum on automation, someone in the audience asked, “Okay, but where do I go to find (that specific automation)?” That moment really hit home how many small, regional manufacturers needed an outlet to be able to learn about the new technologies and options in material handling. To address that need, I just finalized the dates for our second annual “Automation Fair,” a regional-focused, hands-on event where we invite vendor partners to showcase live demos and automation solutions at one of our facilities. We basically create a mini tradeshow. I personally invite every manufacturer within a 100-mile radius, especially focusing on the smaller companies that often can’t afford the time or resources to attend major trade shows. These businesses are frequently overlooked, even by sales teams, so our “Automation Fair” provides a no-pressure environment where they can explore new technology firsthand. Because it is all about giving people the chance to discover solutions, not sit through sales pitches! Last year’s event was a huge success, and I’m expecting this year to be even better.
Follow Lauren on LinkedIn.
THANK YOU, LAUREN! WE LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING UP WITH YOU THROUGH THE #PUMPTALK COMMUNITY!
