IntelliAM appoints Joel Crawford as US revenue chief

IntelliAM has appointed Joel Crawford as Chief Revenue Officer, with an immediate focus on the US market for the UK industrial AI company.

Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, Crawford is due to take up the role in June. He joins as IntelliAM looks to deepen its presence in North America, where many of its existing customers are headquartered.

He brings more than 17 years of experience in maintenance reliability, predictive maintenance and asset management. Previous roles included senior positions at Allied Reliability Group and I-Care Reliability, where he worked on US business expansion.

At IntelliAM, Crawford will oversee the global revenue strategy, put sales processes in place and refine the route to market. He will also lead the expansion of the US operation and, over time, build a broader North American team.

The appointment comes as IntelliAM builds on recent work with US operations for existing customers. Last year, it rolled out its platform to food producer Baxters across multiple US sites.

That project helped Baxters improve productivity, strengthen asset reliability and support a more proactive maintenance approach, according to IntelliAM. The company uses AI and machine learning to analyse manufacturing data and provide operational insights for industrial customers.

Crawford's arrival also reflects a broader push by British industrial software and AI companies into the US, where manufacturers continue to invest in data-led production and maintenance systems. For IntelliAM, the market is a natural target because of its customer footprint and the concentration of large manufacturing groups in sectors including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, energy and life sciences.

Founded in 2023, IntelliAM works with several large manufacturers, including ADM, Mars, PepsiCo, Muller, Weetabix and Hovis. It also traces its engineering roots to 53 Degrees North, an asset care business established more than a decade ago that now operates as IntelliAM's consultancy division.

That link matters because IntelliAM's pitch to manufacturers centres on combining software with plant-level engineering and reliability expertise. Crawford referenced that legacy in his first comments after taking the role.

Tom Clayton, Chief Executive of IntelliAM, said: "We are delighted to welcome Joel to IntelliAM. His track record speaks for itself and, as we continue to expand in the US and internationally, his expertise will be instrumental in shaping our market strategy and unlocking further growth."

"We see a significant opportunity to drive improved productivity and asset reliability for industrial customers in the US through the application of AI and, with this foundation in place, we're well positioned to lead that digital transformation."

Crawford said the company's existing US presence helped attract him to the role.

He added: "IntelliAM stood out to me immediately. The company already has a strong reputation in the US through its established 53 Degrees North brand, alongside a proven operational intelligence platform that aligns strongly with the direction of modern manufacturing."

His remit suggests IntelliAM is moving from early market entry to a more structured expansion effort. Building sales systems and adding staff on the ground are often signs that a software company believes it has enough customer demand and sector fit to justify a larger local operation.

The US manufacturing sector has become an increasingly important market for technology suppliers offering maintenance analytics, production monitoring and operational decision tools. Many industrial groups have invested heavily in sensors, machine data collection and connected systems, but still face challenges in turning those inputs into changes on the factory floor.

That issue was central to Crawford's assessment of the market opportunity.

He said: "It's an exciting opportunity to build something really significant and establish IntelliAM as a major player in the US.

"Many organisations have invested heavily in data collection but are not maximising its value, while the skills crisis across North America is forcing them to rethink how they operate. Technology is now critical, and IntelliAM enables manufacturers to turn fragmented operational data into faster, more effective production decisions."