Clifton, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 01/14/2010 -- Compass Pharma Services, LLC today announced it expanded its blister packaging capacity for contract pharmaceutical packaging and contract vitamin packaging customers with the installation of a new high-speed blister packaging machine from Uhlmann USA.

"Blister packaging and unit dose packaging continues to grow in popularity among our pharmaceutical packaging and nutritional packaging customers," said Tony Fenno, chief operating officer. "Our investment in additional blister packaging capacity was necessary to keep pace with this increased demand."

According to Compass, the new blister packaging system (Uhlmann thermoformer UPS4) operates up to 50 cycles per minute depending upon product size, configuration and packaging material.

"Uhlmann systems are among the most widely used blister packaging machines in the pharmaceutical and nutrition industry," added Fenno. "This new machine supports Compass' business strategy of providing contract pharmaceutical packaging services with the same quality and consistency of in-house production."

With the installation of the new machine, Compass Pharma can produce cold foil blisters or thermoformed blister packages from PVC, PVDC, and barrier films such as PCTFE (Aclar®). Package and fill consistency are assured with a fully integrated vision detection system that continuously inspects manufacturing quality and tablet or capsule fill accuracy.

Among Compass Pharma's new cGMP blister packaging capabilities:

• Integrated filling and large-format tooling option to fill multiple tablets/capsules into a common blister, ideal for regimen and compliance packaging.
• Inline cartoning and secondary operations for a complete turnkey line
• Inline flexo printing for high-quality, cost effective package labeling options.
• Balcony construction for full cGMP packaging requirements
• Deep-draw (12 mm to 35mm) thermoforming capabilities for large tablets/capsules.
• Chilled feed area, isolated from heating elements, to allow for packaging of temperature-sensitive products including probiotics.

About Compass Pharma:
Compass Pharma Services, LLC is an independently owned and operated contract cGMP packaging company located in Clifton, NJ. Originally founded as General Packaging Services in 1949, Compass today operates a fully-equipped cGMP contract packaging facility on a two-shift-per-day schedule for packaging solid dose preparations, liquids and powders into virtually all packaging forms including blister packaging, pouches, bottles and cans. Customers include pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, virtual pharma and manufacturers of over-the-counter (OTC) products.

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Compass Pharma Services, LLC improved customer service for pharmaceutical packaging, blister packaging, bottle filling and powder filling and other cGMP contract packaging services.

Clifton, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 11/12/2008 -- To give its contract pharmaceutical packaging customers fast, personal service for packaging projects, Compass Pharma Services, LLC today announced it has redesigned its customer service organization and processes. "For project clarity and efficiency, our new organization means Compass customers have a single point of contact and communication for all contract packaging jobs," said Kevin Flanigan, CEO, Compass Pharma Services. "Because of this new organization, we are more responsive and agile when responding to complex or deadline-intensive tasks such as pharmaceutical blister packaging for new drug launches, stability testing or seasonal spikes in demand.

Pharmaceutical industry packaging veteran Don Wrocklage will continue to lead Compass Pharma's customer service and sales administration department. Wrocklage has worked for Compass Pharma and its predecessor organizations for nearly 30 years and brings expert levels of contract pharmaceutical packaging engineering and contract pharmaceutical manufacturing knowledge to customers, added Flanagan.

The two new sales administrators are:

- Joanne Sountis - Before joining Compass Pharma Services, Ms. Sountis worked for five years as a medical assistant in an orthopedics medical practice. She is a graduate of Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and has studied pharmacy at Rutgers University's Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy. Ms. Sountis is a member of the American Managed Care Pharmacy Association, American Pharmacists Association and the New Jersey Society of Health Systems Pharmacists.

- John Perla - Prior to Compass Pharma Services, Mr. Perla worked as head of administration for a division of Ferguson Enterprises, a national distribution company. Mr. Perla graduated Summa Cum Laude from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

"Since founding Compass Pharma in 2006, we've invested several million dollars to expand our pharmaceutical packaging service offerings to include custom package development, custom tooling, and unique capabilities such as multi-format blister packages, powder filling and potent compounds, all within a cGMP environment," said Wrocklage. "But our most important investment has been in new people and a total redesign of our business processes to provide customers with a responsive, 'can-do' attitude to almost any pharmaceutical packaging request."

About Compass Pharma Services
Compass Pharma Services, LLC (http://www.compasspharma.com) is an independently owned and operated contract packaging company located in Clifton, NJ. Originally founded as General Packaging Services in 1949, Compass today operates 20 cGMP-certified production suites on a two-shift-per-day schedule for packaging solid dose preparations, liquids and powders into virtually all packaging forms including blister packaging, pouches, bottles and cans. Customers include pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, virtual pharma and manufacturers of over-the-counter (OTC) products.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm