Kevin Wilcox

Technical Services Manager | Packaging Engineering | Commercialization | Flexible Packaging | Customer Technical Leadership | Packaging Innovation

Gardner, Massachusetts, United States

About

I’m a packaging professional with experience in flexible packaging development, commercialization, and technical support across engineering and customer-facing roles. I’ve built strong expertise in film structures, food packaging requirements, material performance, testing, and troubleshooting through hands-on project work. I progressed through technical and packaging engineering roles partnering with manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and customers to deliver practical packaging solutions. In my current role as a Technical Services Manager, I lead a team supporting new product launches, packaging trials, and customer technical initiatives, focused on commercialization, sustainability, material simplification, and improving development efficiency. I focus on solving complex packaging challenges and delivering scalable, cross-functional solutions that improve performance and execution. I specialize in flexible and food packaging, combining materials, engineering, and manufacturing knowledge to build effective, scalable solutions.

Experience

  • Garlock Flexibles (Gardner, MA · On-site)
    • Technical Services Manager
      Feb 2025 - Present · 1 yr 5 mos

      Lead technical services and packaging commercialization activities across multiple facilities and customer accounts. Serve as a strategic technical partner to Sales, Operations, Procurement, and Quality, driving packaging innovation, customer support, operational improvement, and complex issue resolution. Key Contributions: • Lead cross-functional commercialization efforts for new products, packaging platforms, and customer conversions from concept through production. • Serve as primary technical lead for key customer accounts, supporting growth through packaging innovation and issue resolution. • Oversee packaging development, trials, validation, and scale-up activities across multiple manufacturing sites. • Drive packaging optimization initiatives focused on cost reduction, performance improvement, and sustainability. • Lead root cause investigations and partner with Quality and Operations on corrective and preventive actions for complex technical issues. • Partner with Procurement and Supply Chain to evaluate materials, suppliers, and cost optimization opportunities. • Support capital projects and manufacturing improvement initiatives impacting packaging performance and efficiency. • Mentor and develop technical staff while driving alignment across engineering, operations, quality, and commercial teams.

    • Senior Packaging Engineer
      Jul 2022 - Feb 2025 · 2 yrs 8 mos

      Led packaging development and commercialization initiatives, serving as a technical lead across cross-functional teams. Drove packaging solutions from concept through full-scale production, balancing performance, cost, manufacturability, and sustainability while supporting operational and business objectives. Key Contributions: • Led packaging development and commercialization projects from concept through production implementation, including new launches and package improvements. • Supported packaging trials, validation activities, and production scale-up efforts to ensure successful commercialization. • Provided technical leadership for material selection, structural design considerations, and converting process optimization. • Supported cross-functional alignment across Operations, Quality, Procurement, Sales, and suppliers to execute packaging initiatives. • Identified and implemented packaging innovations, material improvements, and sustainability opportunities. • Led root cause investigations and supported development of corrective and preventive actions in collaboration with Quality and Operations. • Supported packaging performance improvements through troubleshooting and manufacturing issue resolution.

    • Technical Engineer
      Jun 2021 - Jul 2022 · 1 yr 2 mos

      Served as a technical liaison between customers and internal functions, translating packaging requirements into manufacturable and cost-effective solutions. Managed packaging projects, supported commercialization activities, and contributed to issue resolution across materials, processes, and production environments. Key Contributions: • Managed packaging development projects from design through commercialization, including specifications, trials, testing, and documentation. • Provided technical support to customers and commercial teams to ensure alignment on performance, cost, and manufacturability requirements. • Coordinated material sourcing and supplier qualification efforts with Supply Chain and Procurement. • Led and supported packaging trials and validation activities across manufacturing environments. • Conducted root cause analysis and supported resolution of packaging-related quality and production issues in collaboration with cross-functional teams. • Developed technical specifications and documentation supporting regulatory, food safety, and customer requirements.

  • Corporal - Heavy Equipment Operator at United States Marine Corps
    Sep 2007 - Sep 2011 · 4 yrs 1 mo

    As a Corporal and Heavy Equipment Operator in the U.S. Marine Corps, I led and supported critical operations involving the use and maintenance of heavy construction equipment in diverse environments. I operated loaders, backhoes, forklifts and other heavy machinery to support material handling and earthmoving operations. In a leadership capacity, I was responsible for training and supervising junior Marines, ensuring safety protocols, operational readiness, and team effectiveness. Key Contributions: • Operated and maintained a wide range of heavy equipment with precision and safety. • Led and supervised teams of junior Marines in daily tasks and strategic operations. • Trained junior Marines in equipment operation, preventive maintenance, and safety procedures.