The service, called Pouch Express, provides pharmaceutical manufacturers with fine rotogravure printing from Alcoa's packaging facility in Downingtown, US, and can handle quantities as small as 3 million square inches within six weeks, according to the company.

The fast-track service applies to 10 of Alcoa's Pharma-Pouch print applications, designed for use with both paper and foil-based exteriors for products such as gel-caps, capsules, powders and tablets.

Alcoa Flexible Packaging, based in Richmond, Virginia, manufactures a variety of packaging materials including extrusion and adhesive laminated pouch materials, overwraps and linerstock, blister lidding foil, thermoformed trays, cable wrap, plastic shrink sleeve body labels, and Reynolon shrink film.

For more information, visit the company's website .