When Legacy Thinking Gets in the Way of Manufacturing Innovation w/ Annie Lu

The Manufacturing Executive · 16 Jun 2026 · 31m · Episode 314

What this episode covers

Annie Lu, co-founder and CEO of Laminar, explains how her company uses process-aware AI and proprietary sensors to optimize process manufacturing, specifically targeting Clean-in-Place (CIP) and changeover inefficiencies. She details how Laminar overcame early dismissal by legacy industry scientists by proving the technology's viability directly with major customers like Anheuser-Busch InBev and Coca-Cola. Lu argues that manufacturers must move beyond 'pilot purgatory' by designing for scale from the start, focusing on tangible ROI and change management to drive productivity and sustainability across entire factory footprints.

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