How to Know Whether or Not Your Business Needs an Industrial Shredder

If you have stumbled across this post, then the chances are that your business is deciding whether or not it requires an industrial shredder. This may be because you have high volumes of paperwork that need to be disposed of, or because you are looking to further improve your data destruction processes.

Here at Whitaker Brothers, we have helped countless organizations across the United States choose the perfect industrial and commercial shredders for their needs.

Our experts have put together this post that examines what exactly industrial shredders are, why businesses may need them, factors to consider when buying them, and so much more.

What is an Industrial Paper Shredder?

Industrial shredders are machines that are built to withstand and shred larger loads and stronger materials than a typical paper shredder. These are often used by massive organizations that store vast electronic and physical data that need to be destroyed to stay compliant with data destruction laws.

Unlike other more typical shredders, industrial shredders can process a wide range of materials such as metal, plastic, wood, rubber, and more. To facilitate these materials, they come in heavier-duty single-shaft, dual-shaft, and four-shaft configurations.

Why Do Some Businesses Need Industrial Paper Shredders?

The larger a business or organization, the more data, documents, hard drives, and other waste that needs shredding. It is not uncommon for big businesses to become overwhelmed with things to be shredded, and delegate employees the timely task of data and waste destruction.

Many businesses in this predicament decide to invest in industrial paper shredders, as they solve these problems efficiently. These machines take burdens off of business resources, and allow organizations to redelegate these resources into more beneficial areas.

Factors to Consider When Buying an Industrial Paper Shredder

When purchasing an industrial paper shredder, there are several factors that you need to take into consideration. This is because they are a major investment, and all factors need to be reflected on before purchase.

Understand the Quantities You Need to Shred

One of the most important factors that must be taken into account when choosing an industrial shredder is the quantity of documents and data that you will want to shred. The greater the quantity you will shred, the more likely you are to need an industrial-style paper shredder.

The capacity of a shredder refers to the number of paper sheets the machine can handle per pass. Standard shredders only allow around 10 sheets at a time. However, industrial shredders can allow anywhere between 100 and 1,000 sheets of paper per pass. This means that businesses with huge paper quantities can drastically increase their efficiency.

Think About Why You Need to Destroy Documents

Nearly every business within the United States keeps hold of lots of sensitive data and documents. Because of this, these companies have many data privacy and data destruction laws that they must conform to. Failure to adhere to these laws can lead to severe penalties.

Industrial shredders can tear documents into large strips that make it impossible to repair and reconstruct the data. If a business stores enormous amounts of sensitive and personal data from their customers, then they need to be careful when it comes to the destruction of these documents.

Another reason why many businesses use high-performance shredders is to reduce the amount of space and resources that piles of documents can occupy. Once again, the more documents you have to deal with, the more necessary it is to have a heavier-duty shredder.

What Materials Do You Want to Shred?

Another significant factor to take into consideration when it comes to purchasing industrial shredders is the materials your business will be shredding. While most businesses will shred paper documents, it is not uncommon for businesses to shred hard drives, CDs, electrical devices, and other items that store data.

If as a business you will be looking to shred more than paper, you must purchase a shredder that can withstand the materials you intend to shred. If you purchase a shredder that does not have the capabilities that you need, then you will most likely damage the shredder and cause extra expenses.

Understand Shredder Safety Features

Industrial shredders are extremely heavy-duty pieces of equipment. Therefore, if they are not used correctly, then they could cause serious injuries. Because of this, you must follow the safety measures required, and train staff members sufficiently.

Knowing the limitations of an industrial shredder is also important to ensure the safety of the operator. This is because pushing the machine over its threshold can cause the shredder to malfunction, which could then cause more injury risks.

In addition to this, it is recommended to understand how to properly maintain the machine. This can help to avoid any problems over time, and can make sure that it remains in perfect working order without the need for costly repairs.

High-Quality Industrial Shredders from Industry Leader, Whitaker Brothers

Here at Whitaker Brothers, we have a collection of premium quality industrial shredders . We are proud to have over 75 years of industry experience and to have assisted countless businesses from small offices to military organizations obtain the best data destruction, print finishing, and mailroom equipment for their needs.

If you would like to find out more information about our quality industrial shredders or have any questions or queries, feel free to contact us today. Our excellent customer service team will be happy to answer any questions and give you their expert advice.