Are you considering buying a paper shredder for your office? It can seem like a good investment. Nobody wants a cluttered workspace. Unwanted paper is a top culprit for creating a mess in the office. Most documents that pass through our hands quickly become obsolete. It is easy to fall into the habit of pushing stray sheets of paper to the sides of our desks where they quickly build up. However, we can’t simply throw them into the recycling bin—there are confidentiality concerns. This is where shredding comes in. You can either shred in-house with an office paper shredder, or outsource to a company like Pulp, considering paper shredding costs and other factors.
At first, there seem to be a lot of benefits to shredding in-house. For example, in theory at least, the cost is lower: A moderate, one-time investment should allow you to shred in-house, for free, indefinitely. By doing it yourself, you “cut out the middle-man” and save more time and money. In theory, it is the fastest, most cost-effective way to deal with unwanted paper while ensuring confidentiality. But does this idea hold up against scrutiny? Here at Pulp, we’ve identified a number of drawbacks to shredding in-house. You might ask, “Is shredding paper really necessary?” In this article, we’ll discuss why we don’t recommend getting an office shredder and the importance of shredding documents properly.
The Cost of an Office Paper Shredder
A quick google search confirms that an office shredder can cost anywhere between €50 – €750 depending on the volume of paper you need shredded. In fact, it is even possible to acquire models that run into the thousands of euro if you have the budget, but this is simply unrealistic for most businesses. As a side note, shredding with Pulp gives you access to the best, most advanced, most secure industrial shredders for a reasonable price.
Naturally, the quality of the machine you are purchasing varies just as drastically as the cost. Figuring out which model to go with can therefore be difficult. Just how much security are you willing to compromise for a low-budget shredder? Can a large-scale investment really be justified for modest shredding requirements? The answer is to go with Pulp. We provide shredding services at minimum cost, but ensure maximum quality and security.
Security and Confidentiality
What are the security concerns that can be avoided through shredding? Essentially, most of the documents that pass through your employees hands at work contain sensitive information. Names, addresses, prices, figures, all of these details are private and can be used for illegal purposes if they fall into the wrong hands. That is why we have a responsibility to shred.
This responsibility is now reflected by the law. For example, GDPR places strict limits on the length of time certain information can be held. If a business is found to be in breach of these obligations, through audits or other means, they face hefty fines.
So, what’s wrong with using a standard office shredder to meet these requirements? firstly, most office shredders use a strip shredding mechanism: They simply tear the paper into long strips that can easily be reassembled if you’re patient enough. more expensive models use cross shredding, which means the strips are cut horizontally as well as vertically, but they can still be reassembled with the same method. On the other hand, a Pulp shredder utterly destroys all of your documents beyond repair. We are EN15713 accredited, which is the only European shredding standard. This means that all of your documents are destroyed in accordance with secure shredding requirements.
For added security, and to minimise risk even further, we carry out all of our confidential shredding on-site. Our Garda-vetted employees ensure that all of your paper is destroyed within sight of your office.
Office Shredder Maintenance
The maintenance requirements for an office shredder are greater than most people realise. A standard shredder can last up to ten years, but that’s with regular maintenance and oiling. This doesn’t account for accidents or other problems that may occur. By outsourcing your shredding to Pulp, you avoid all of this. Why waste time thinking about the last time you oiled your shredder, or the last time you ran the blades in reverse? We maintain all of our shredders to the highest standard so that they are at your disposal without you having to think about it at all.
All in all, we believe going with a shredding company like Pulp is a no-brainer. You get the best price, the best security, and the best service without having to do any maintenance yourself. Additionally, a one-time shredding service is recommended after returning to the office to ensure that any accumulated documents during remote work or office closures are securely disposed of, maintaining the confidentiality and security of sensitive information. Contact us today to find out more!
