About

Manufacturers often feel frustrated or overwhelmed because they don’t have what they need to solve a problem.

FASTLANE advisors get you to solutions faster to make your life easier.

Learn about our easy 4-step process

Our team of specialized manufacturing and engineering consultants help accelerate manufacturing success, advance innovation, and drive growth through technology acceleration, continuous improvement, workforce development, supply chain optimization, and sustainability.  Connecting manufacturers to a vast network of affordable resources including expert engineers, scientists, manufacturers, suppliers, and other professionals throughout the greater Dayton region.

FASTLANE is West Central Ohio’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) located within the University of Dayton Research Institute as the Manufacturing Technology Solutions Accelerator Office. 

MEP National Network exists to help small and medium manufacturers become more innovative in order to drive economic growth and create more jobs.

The FASTLANE team does this by moving quickly to find solutions and leveraging the right resources to deliver results. We act as an unbiased third party adviser/project manager to small and medium-sized manufactures to help whittle down the “I want to do” list. This list often consists of product development, improvement ideas, training, etc. These projects are often delayed simply because the focus is on getting the product out the door on time with excellent quality and on budget, leaving the important but not urgent ignored. By helping get these projects off the ground FASTLANE is able to help manufacturing companies accelerate their growth and profitability.  Read more about our story and how it all began.

 

Each member of the FASTLANE team has a background in manufacturing and their own areas of expertise.

 

Meet our team members and learn about their specialties.

See What Our Clients Think

How it Works:

Our Manufacturing Growth Specialists (MGS) act as Third Party Advisors and Project Managers to help you get projects done faster.

  1. Introduction Meeting:Process
  • Face-to-face meeting, tour your facility and listen to and understand your growth challenges
  • Vet Opportunities:
    • Summarize observed/discussed challenges and identify priorities
    • Define project(s) scope of work/timing
    • Vet possible solution providers (i.e. source/cost/timing etc.)
  • Develop a Plan:
    • Develop a measurable, budgeted plan with milestones
  • Project Manage:
    • Monitor milestone accomplishment
    • Track company success and economic impact for Ohio

 

Who We Serve:

FASTLANE is the west-central Ohio MEP.  West-central Ohio is defined as these 8 counties (also pictured below): Shelby, Darke, Miami, Champaign, Clark, Preble, Montgomery, and Greene. We focus on serving service small to medium manufacturing companies ( up to 800 employees) as well as some engineering/technology companies.  The complete list of NAICS codes we serve can be found below. 

 

NAICS Codes We Serve

  • Manufacturing: 31, 32, or 33
  • R&D: 541711 – 541719
  • Metal Service Centers and Other Metal Merchant Wholesalers: 423510
  • Packing and Crating: 488991
  • Engineering Services: 541330
  • Testing Laboratories: 541380
  • Packaging and Labeling Services: 561910
  • Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance: 811310

Find your NAICS Code

 

FASTLANE is a part of the MEP National Network™

The MEP National Network™ is a unique public-private partnership that delivers comprehensive, proven solutions to U.S. manufacturers, fueling growth and advancing U.S. manufacturing.

Focused on helping small and medium-sized manufacturers generate business results and thrive in today’s technology-driven economy, the MEP National Network comprises the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP), 51 MEP Centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, and its 1,300 trusted advisors and experts at nearly 600 MEP service locations, providing any U.S. manufacturer with access to resources they need to succeed.

In 2019, the MEP National Network connected with 28,213 manufacturers, leading to $15.7 billion in sales, $1.5 billion in cost savings, $4.5 billion in new client investments, and helping to create and retain more than 114,650 U.S. manufacturing jobs.