A new trade body is launching today – the Institute of Professional Inventory Clerks.

It claims to have been two years in development at a cost of over £100,000.

It has been set up by a number of UK inventory clerk businesses, with the aim of fully representing their industry and giving a voice to members.

IPIC offers four levels of membership – student, standard, professional, and certified and accredited.

Members are checked before joining and full details of each are displayed on the website, including qualifications and insurances held.

All members will use the same inventory report app, to provide consistency. The app was developed by chairman Paul Campbell.

Campbell said that he does not see IPIC as being in opposition to the existing Association of Independent Inventory Clerks, or to ARLA Inventories.

He said that IPIC will not just be about being given a logo to display on your website, and has genuine differences.

Membership benefits include training that is both theoretical and practical. Benefits to users include much more detailed reports, at between 70 and 90 pages long with 250 to 300-plus photographs, completed in what Campbell says is half the time and at the same price as, or cheaper than, other inventories.

Users can also review their inventory clerk online and have recourse to a complaints procedure.

Campbell said: “With the launch of IPIC the inventory industry has come of age.

“Clerks are trained to one set standard, and use the same software producing consistently accurate in-depth reports.

“Customers have complete information about members so they can make informed decisions.”

The website is at www.ipic.org.uk