FastLane featured in local documentary film about to premiere

Early in the pandemic, when Miami Valley Hospital was down to a week’s supply of gowns and no solution in site, a team of UDRI FastLane Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) employees, led by MEP director Phil Ratermann, reached out to the hospital to find out how they could help. Working nearly around the clock, and supported by researchers from UDRI’s Structural Materials and Power & Energy divisions, the team innovated a solution, then connected with a local auto parts manufacturer whose employees had been furloughed because of the pandemic, to help them retool and begin manufacturing gowns. Their outstanding work was captured in a 13-minute film by Hard Road Pictures, co-produced by Ian Cook, Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, who also produced the Oscar-winning documentary, “American Factory.” The film premiered April 7 at the Cleveland International Film Festival, and is now available for public viewing at hardroadpictures.com/documentary.

July 2, 2021