Springfield, Mass. – When U.S. manufacturers of receipt paper came together last June to form the Paper Receipts Converting Association (PRCA), their first goal was to advocate against proposed legislation to ban hardcopy receipts. After celebrating progress, such as the end of California’s Assembly Bill 161, the association has turned its sites to another aspect of its mission: maintaining consistency and quality throughout the industry. Today PRCA launches its Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and accompanying seal.

As PRCA members began discussions about creating a GMP for the receipt paper industry, they agreed that integrity, transparency, and consistency are key. Unfortunately, some customers were receiving shipments of receipt paper from nonmember companies—especially from overseas firms—in which the labeling was not true to what was in the box. For example, the length or width of rolls might be less than stated on the label. Customers were not getting the true value they deserved.

PRCA’s GMP aims to correct the lack of consistency and fairness, making sure that customers get the same high-quality product each and every time. All PRCA member companies are required to follow the GMP standards, so those organizations that purchase from PRCA members or see the GMP seal know that they’re receiving exactly what they paid for.

The GMP covers the following:

Regulatory Compliance
Compliance with all global, federal, and local regulatory and legislative requirements. These include U.S. FDA requirements as well as paper chemistry regulations such as California’s Proposition 65.

Verified Raw Materials
Maintenance of detailed specifications for raw materials that may only be purchased from suppliers with comparable quality assurance systems. Traceability and certification of raw materials are also critical, and the manufacture and supply of raw materials must comply with all applicable legal requirements.

Consistent Converting
Consistent converted quality that meets GMP requirements as well as other material specifications. The carton label must clearly and accurately define its contents.

Quality Assured
Assurance that all measuring equipment is calibrated and adjusted at specific intervals for product conformance to customer requirements. Job set-ups must be verified via an effective quality assurance system, and critical incoming raw materials must be accompanied by a certificate of compliance or must be quality tested for performance.

“It only made sense,” said Mike Rapier, Chairman of PRCA. “Once we recognized that mislabeling was a problem, we had to do something about it. By creating the GMP, we’re telling our customers that they are getting high-quality product and that they’ll get exactly what they pay for. A special thank you to PRCA board member Bryan Eovaldi for leading the efforts to get the GMP’s written and ratified.”

The founding member companies of PRCA—and those that customers can look to for GMP compliance—include: General Credit Forms, Inc., Iconex, Liberty Greenleaf, Max International, Monaco, Nakagawa Corporation, National Checking (NCCO), Positive Concepts, and Specialty Roll Products, Inc.

By releasing the GMP and seal, PRCA invites others to step up and do their part to ensure the integrity of the paper receipt industry.

To read the full GMP and learn when and how to display the PRCA seal, please visit PaperReceipts.Org/Good-Manufacturing.

The Paper Receipts Converting Association’s GMP seal signifies quality, transparency, and integrity in every roll converted and distributed by association members across the United States.