Cheque and Credit Clearing Company reminds manufacturers to get their printers ‘Pira tested’
The Cheque and Credit Clearing Company (C&CCC) is today (2 December) reminding printer manufacturers of the benefits of having new equipment tested to see if it meets industry recommended standards.
Manufacturers of non-impact printers can pay for any equipment that may be used to produce cheques to undergo a C&CCC-recommended examination to test the robustness of their print adhesion. This is key to reducing the possibility of fraudulent alterations being made to printed details on cheques and credits.
If successful, recommended printers then appear on the Pira List, which is published on the Cheque and Credit website at: www.chequeandcredit.co.uk/cpas/-/page/pira/. (This list is separate to the Cheque Printer Accreditation Scheme, which is a list of accredited printing companies.)
Angela Thomas, Managing Director of the Cheque and Credit Clearing Company, said:
“Whilst the majority of printing equipment has traditionally been tested to see if it meets industry standards, we have noticed that fewer new models of printer are going through this process. We have written to the UK’s printer manufacturers to remind them about the Pira List and urge them to get their latest models tested.”
Being on the Pira List - so-called because the tests are carried out by the company Pira International - means that a particular printer’s acceptability for cheque printing is advertised to relevant parties, which could result in increased sales.
For more information on the Pira List email cpashelpdesk@chequeandcredit.co.uk or contact Nicky Scowen at the C&CCC on 020 3217 8323.
ENDS
For media enquiries please contact press@ukpayments.org.uk or Mark Bowerman on 020 3217 8251.
Notes to editors:
CPAS (the Cheque Printer Accreditation Scheme) was set up in 1995 with the aim of tackling fraud involving company cheques. The scheme requires that all cheques for use in the clearing process in Great Britain are produced by C&CCC accredited printing companies. It means there is much greater quality control in the paper, ink, and security features used in cheque production and it has helped reduce some types of cheque fraud, namely fraudulent alteration and counterfeits. A list of accredited printers is available via the C&CCC website.
The PIRA List: Members of the Cheque and Credit Clearing Company (C&CCC) can, for their own business use, and to conform to C&CCC standards, commission Pira International to carry out tests of various non-impact printers. These tests examine the robustness of print adhesion on various types of cheque paper. C&CCC recommend that all cheques are printed by accredited printing companies using PIRA certified equipment. It is not intended to be a comprehensive examination of all aspects of all known printers. The Pira list is publicly available via the C&CCC website.
The Cheque and Credit Clearing Company (C&CCC) is a non-profit making industry body, which has managed the cheque clearing system in England and Wales since 1985, and in all of Great Britain since 1996 when it took over responsibility for managing the Scottish cheque clearing. As well as clearing cheques, the system processes bankers’ drafts, building society cheques, postal orders, warrants, government payable orders and travellers’ cheques. The company also manages the systems for the clearing of paper bank giro credits (the credit clearing), euro cheques (the euro clearing) and US dollar cheques (the currency clearing for US dollar cheques drawn on London banks.)