Apply what you know, learn what you don’t, venture outside your norm, and laugh because it’s all good.

Meet Barry

As the company’s original Staff Manufacturing Engineer, Barry Lou has built every assembly in production, and trained—directly or indirectly — every manufacturing tech and several of the principle field service engineers. He joined Labcyte in 2003, and has had his hand in most manufacturing processes ever since.

What is your role at Labcyte?

I’m a Staff Manufacturing Engineer. I came onboard when Labcyte started to go into production. I set up manufacturing processes and documentation, structuring the assemblies to make them with a basic core and as modular as possible, so that systems can be consistently built and tested.

My job involves working with a lot of people: Engineering, in designing parts or assemblies for manufacturing; Service, so they can replace components with minimal fuss; and Materials, so we can create a linear workflow with minimal wasted time and effort.

At the beginning, I was told the system was so complicated that only engineers would be able to build the systems; after a year, the engineers said they would rather have Manufacturing build the systems because we made them better, more consistent and reliable.

What's the best part of your job?

I get to build and break things with other good people, and I get paid to do it! Actually, I feel lucky to have a chance to work on products during development, prototype, production, installation and post-installation—almost the entire product lifecycle.

What did you do before joining Labcyte?

I was a Manufacturing Project Manager for a medical imaging startup, and previously I was simultaneously the Manufacturing Manager and Manufacturing Engineering Manager at a medical capital equipment company. I’ve been in engineering design as well as manufacturing, with experience in inspection, fabrication, management, and service, so I can hopefully bring multiple perspectives to Labcyte. Interestingly enough, during the interview process I found out that two previous co-workers were here. And I’ve subsequently enticed some previous coworkers to come here as well.

What do you do outside of work?

I’ve been happily married for decades, and it seems like only years. We like to travel, cook, watch movies, garden and laugh a lot.

If you could cure any disease, what would it be and why?

I’ll have to start with cancer, having been a cancer survivor myself. I’ve also seen my mother go through the early stages of Alzheimer’s, so that would come next. She was trying so hard to maintain her dignity and keep her life on course, and it was so heartbreaking to see the things she tried to do to organize her way through what she was experiencing.

Who is your favorite influencer and why?

My wife and my parents. They all make me want to fulfill their expectations of doing what’s right, learning more, and laughing at the ups and downs of life.

What would be your best career advice?

Apply what you know, learn what you don’t, venture outside your norm, and laugh because it’s all good.