Email Jim at jim.thompson@ipulpmedia.com

There are many regulations we encounter in our work life that are good. There are others that seem to be a power kick for the regulators. Here is one I would have us adopt as papermakers if I were King.

GMP, or Good Manufacturing Practices, are enforced by the US Food and Drug Administration. If you are a lowly commercial bread manufacturer, for instance, you know the GMP regulations by heart.

GMP outlines a minimal set of standards of cleanliness, well beyond simple clutter, dirt and dust to be inclusive of insects and microbiological organisms.

I have worked for two paper companies that followed GMP. I would credit GMP with a large portion of their financial and human resources success.

Since AI is the hot ticket these days, let me lift from google what it says as an AI Overview when you search for GMP:

"Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) are a set of regulations that ensure products are consistently produced and controlled to quality standards. GMPs are designed to minimize risks that can't be eliminated through final product testing. They apply to a variety of products, including food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and medical devices:

"Food

"GMPs are the minimum sanitary and processing requirements for producing safe food. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforces GMP regulations for food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

"Pharmaceuticals

"The World Health Organization (WHO) has used GMP guidelines since 1968 to ensure that medicinal products are consistently produced to quality standards. The FDA also enforces GMP regulations for drugs, known as Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations. The 'C' in CGMP stands for 'current,' which means companies must use up-to-date technologies and systems to comply."

Yes, long suffering reader, I have found another way to sneak in a column about housekeeping. I keep doing this because (a) it is so darn important and (b) you don't believe it is. I can assure you, however, if you make the effort to reach GMP standards (and it will take some time and effort), you will be running better, making more money, and actually have some spare time to work on your favorite improvement projects.

Be safe and we will talk next week.

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