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ACG Pharmapack Pvt. Ltd. is a leading manufacturer of pharmaceutical packaging materials and a key business unit of the global ACG Group, one of the world’s largest integrated suppliers to the solid dosage pharmaceutical industry. The company produces a wide range of pharmaceutical-grade films and foils used for the protective packaging of tablets, capsules, and other products, including barrier, specialty, and high-performance packaging solutions.
Founded in Mumbai in 1961, the ACG Group has grown into a global organisation serving customers in 138 countries across six continents. Its portfolio spans capsules, machinery, packaging materials, inspection systems, and traceability solutions, making ACG a comprehensive partner to pharmaceutical and nutraceutical manufacturers worldwide.
With an annual production capacity exceeding 38,000 tonnes of films and foils, ACG Pharmapack plays a significant role in the global pharmaceutical packaging market. The company is widely recognised for its quality, global reach, and longstanding industry presence, partnering with leading pharmaceutical and nutraceutical manufacturers worldwide.
Learn more at: https://www.acg-world.com/
Executive Business Impact
The business was operating with avoidable material waste and inconsistent slitting efficiency, directly impacting margin performance and asset utilisation.
Manual planning limited their ability to maximise calendar-width utilisation and systematically reduce trim loss. As raw material costs increased and service expectations tightened, this exposed a clear opportunity to improve yield, recover capacity, and strengthen planning discipline.
Operational Limitations
The slitting planning process was entirely manual, with all planning data maintained across multiple Excel files.
Although reports were available, they were not connected within a single optimisation framework. This created:
✔ Slow and inconsistent planning cycles
✔ Dependence on planner experience rather than optimisation logic
✔ No structured approach to maximise deckle-width utilisation
✔ Limited ability to test multiple cutting combinations
✔ Difficulty in identifying the best trim patterns across orders
A key operational gap was the inability to regularly track calendar-width utilisation as a measurable KPI. As a result, improvement opportunities were missed, and performance could not be benchmarked or systematically improved.
Trim loss was recognised as a priority area, but manual planning constrained the ability to minimise waste consistently.
Objective
The investment in X-Trim was driven by a clear objective:
✔ Improve trim efficiency and reduce waste
✔ Standardise planning decisions across shifts
✔ Introduce KPI-driven visibility into the width utilisation and yield performance
At this stage of the business, leadership recognised that incremental optimisation gains would translate into measurable annual savings and stronger operational control.
Solution Overview
Greycon implemented X-Trim as a structured trim optimisation tool to introduce algorithm-driven planning, improve width utilisation, and standardise slitting decisions across the operation.
The objective was not simply automation; it was to embed consistent, measurable optimisation logic into the planning process while integrating seamlessly with the existing ERP environment.
Modules Implemented
Base Module: The Base Module established a central optimisation environment by consolidating orders, stock, machine parameters, and constraints into one system. This replaced fragmented planning logic with a consistent, system-driven optimisation process, ensuring repeatable and controlled trim decisions
Multi-Constant & Variable Diameter: This module enabled accurate optimisation for both constant and variable diameter reel requirements, reflecting real production constraints. It ensured that generated trim solutions were executable, reducing planning inaccuracies and improving operational reliability.
Knife Change Minimisation: Using an advanced KC optimisation algorithm, X-Trim reduced unnecessary knife setups by optimising pattern sequencing. This improved machine uptime, reduced setup time and enhanced overall slitting productivity without compromising trim efficiency.
Defects Module: The Defects Module allowed planners to avoid defect zones during optimisation and selectively allocate splice-tolerant orders. This improved usable material recovery and reduced quality-related losses.
Width Selection & Utilisation Control: This functionality improved visibility and control of deckle-width utilisation, enabling planners to evaluate optimal width combinations and systematically reduce trim waste.
ERP Integration: Integration with the ERP system enabled automatic exchange of orders, stock and master data. This eliminated manual data handling, reduced errors, accelerated planning cycles, and ensured alignment between planning and execution.
Following the implementation of X-Trim, the customer transitioned from manual, experience-driven slitting decisions to a structured, algorithm-based optimisation process. Planning became system-driven, repeatable and measurable.
While the customer did not publish specific KPI figures, the operational improvements were clearly evident across planning efficiency, utilisation control, and execution stability.
Measurable & Operational Improvements
Improved Width Utilisation Transparency: Calendar-width utilisation became a trackable KPI rather than a manual estimate. Planners could now measure average utilisation and monitor trim-loss trends systematically.
Reduction in Trim Waste: Optimised cutting patterns reduced inconsistency in trim performance across shifts. Even without formal percentage disclosure, the stabilisation of trim KPIs indicated improved material yield.
Reduced Knife Changes & Setup Disruption: Post-optimisation sequencing reduced unnecessary knife setups, contributing to smoother machine operation and better secondary machines productivity.
Faster Plan Generation: Complex order mixes that previously required manual trial-and-error planning could now be optimised in minutes, significantly reducing planner workload.
ERP-Aligned Planning & Data Integrity: Automated data exchange eliminated manual handling errors and improved traceability between order entry, optimisation, and execution.
Rapid User Adoption: Training was completed successfully, and planners became self-sufficient quickly. The transition did not disrupt production and required no major process redesign.
“This project demonstrates how structured trim optimisation can unlock sustainable operational value within an existing production environment. By aligning X-Trim with the customer’s operational constraints and ERP framework, we embedded a consistent optimisation discipline into their planning function. The result is not just faster planning, but measurable control over utilisation, waste and execution stability. Our focus is always on ensuring that optimisation becomes a continuous capability, not a one-time improvement”
Esa Orola – Greycon Services Manager
The implementation delivered:
“We’ve reduced planning cycle time considerably. X-Trim allows us to run multiple optimisation scenarios in seconds, removing the need for manual iteration by planners”.
