48. Containers Without the Complexity: Bringing IT Tools to the Factory Floor with Neil Cresswell

Containerization is quietly reshaping how factories deploy and manage software, but most OT teams never asked for it. In this episode powered by PLCnext Technology, we explore why containers matter for manufacturing and how to adopt them without the complexity.

Neil Cresswell, Founder and CEO of Portainer, joins Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes to discuss how his platform went from an IT tool to a factory floor essential, and why the technology behind it should be invisible to the people using it.

Key topics in this episode:

• How Portainer evolved from an IT tool to an industrial platform
• Why containers and Kubernetes are reshaping factory software deployment
• The global manufacturing competition driving modernization
• Real-world use cases from John Deere, precision agriculture, and quality control
• A bottom-up strategy for adopting new technology in your plant

This episode is proudly made possible by PLCnext Technology

PLCnext Technology is the ecosystem for industrial automation consisting of open hardware, modular engineering software, a global community, and a digital software marketplace.

Learn more at:

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.plcnext-community.net/news/synergy-edge-cloud/⁠

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FlowFuse at Hannover Messe 2026

Discover how FlowFuse empowers you to build, deploy, and scale industrial automation -- your way. Visit FlowFuse at Hall 014, Stand K26 during Hannover Messe (April 20-24, 2026) and experience live demonstrations of FlowFuse connecting the entire industrial stack -- from PLCs on the shop floor to MES, ERP, and cloud services -- enabling real-time industrial connectivity, data integration, and AI-powered operations.

Let's transform industrial data together -- live, integrated, and in real time.

Claim your free pass and learn more: https://flowfuse.com/events/hannover-messe-2026/

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Connect with Neil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ncresswell/

Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philseboa/

Connect with Ed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edfuentes/

Learn more about Portainer: https://www.portainer.io

Episode Recap Article: https://unpluggediiot.com/episodes/ep-48-containers-without-complexity-it-tools-factory-floor