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Writer's pictureHighlander Security Shredding

Your Essential Guide to Document Shredding Services

Updated: Oct 2

Paper shredding is a great way to securely dispose of documents. Read on to discover more about the benefits of shredding, as well as the document shredding services available at Highlander Security Shredding.

What are the benefits of confidential document shredding?

Reduce hazards

Professional paper shredding companies will usually come to your offices every week or fortnight rather than waiting until you have amassed a large amount of paper.

This means that you will not have to leave bags of paper lying around. Considering how easily paper catches fire and also considering health and safety regulations that dictate trip and slip hazards need to be kept to a minimum, this regular collection will help minimise workplace safety risks.

Protect the data of your company

A lot of business paperwork will contain data and information that is considered sensitive – it should definitely not fall into the wrong hands. Account data, expenses receipts, and personnel files are especially sensitive and if any of this is taken or goes missing it can lead to serious problems for your business or your employees.

Having these sensitive files shredded professionally will help prevent data theft and identity theft. It will help make sure that your business and your employees are not put in any undue danger and it will help ensure that your employees continue to be happy working for you. Additionally, certain company documents are legally required to be shredded securely, and this means crosscut shredding that is offered by a professional shredding company.

Protect your customers and clients

When a client or customer provides you with data, they expect that data to be kept safe. They don’t expect it to be stolen or used for any other purposes except those that they give express permission for if this happens, it could cause substantial problems for you.

Professional paper shredding services will ensure that every scrap of paper you provide them with is properly disposed of so that the information contained on that paper is gone. Simply throwing the paper away or leaving it for recycling puts your clients in danger and it can lead to damage to your reputation.

No need to shred in house

There’s always the possibility of buying an office shredder and doing the shredding yourself. However, in order to enjoy the same level of security as is offered by a professional company you will need to invest a fair amount in buying an industrial grade shredder.

What’s more, office shredders typically only have a low throughput level and this means that it becomes a very manual task. If you have a lot of waste paper it will take a lot of time to get through the weekly shredding and this is time that you could spend performing other essential tasks.

Quicker waste recycling

The low throughput means that in-house shredding really does take a long time. Even if you use another employee to perform this task for you it means that they will not be able to perform their other tasks.

Paper shredding in this way is tedious and boring, and it will be considered menial by most employees. By having your paperwork shredded you not only protect your reputation and data but you also ensure that paper is shredded quickly, efficiently, effectively, and according to government legislation.

What are the different types of document shredding services?

Strip-cut shredding

The most common way of destroying documents is with strip-cut shredding (also known as ribbon shredding), a process by which the paper is cut into long parallel strips as they pass through several blades on a horizontal shaft. Strip-cut shredders often present an economical choice for everyday use in the home and office, largely due to their low price and availability.

However, while this is a simple and accessible method of shredding, it is also known as the least secure. Highly confidential documents have previously been compromised as a result of the strips being carefully reconstructed and the original document restored. The speed and efficiency of strip-cut shredding makes it the most obvious choice for many, but there is no question that other methods are more suitable if you need to shred sensitive materials.

Cross-cut shredding

As opposed to simply shredding paper in long vertical strips, the cross-cut shredding method involves vertical and horizontal blades that cut the paper into tiny square pieces. Cross-cut shredders are able to cut a single sheet of A4 paper into hundreds of pieces: that’s approximately 10x more pieces than strip-cut shredders produce.

Although the relative level of security offered by this method depends on the exact size of the individual shreds (these range from just under half an inch in width to 1/32 inch), this method is undoubtedly a safer option compared to strip-cut shredding. Furthermore, shredders with this function are relatively affordable and widely available, making them a great choice for those who value their security but don’t fancy breaking the bank on more sophisticated equipment. This makes cross-cut shredding a widely recommended type of shredding for the average consumer.

Self-sealing confidential waste bags

Ideal for both business and household shredding alike, our secure paper shredding bags here at Highlander Security Shredding hold roughly the same amount as a standard archive box and are the most flexible and widely used method of collecting confidential waste for shredding.

Our self-sealing waste paper collection bags are incredibly strong and durable, designed not to split upon being lifted or handled by our secure document shredding team. Not only that, but they are also fully recyclable. Once you have filled your bags with your materials for shredding, give us a call to arrange a suitable date and time for your waste paper collection.

Secure office cabinets

Here at Highlander Security Shredding, our lockable cabinets have inner bags which our collection team exchanges on a fixed schedule.

We have two cabinet sizes. The standard cabinet measures 900*500*500mm and hold approximately the same as two standard archive boxes. Our junior cabinets measure 635*500*500mm and fit perfectly under an office desk, so ideal for smaller spaces. They can also be customised to reflect your company brand.

These locked cabinets allow confidential waste to be stored securely before collection. The cabinets can only be opened by Highlander staff or nominated key holders.

The cabinets are compliant with Data Protection and GDPR, protecting your staff, company and customers from any data breach.

Bespoke wrapped cabinet service

At Highlander Security Shredding, we not only offer secure document shredding services. We also provide a unique cabinet wrapping service to ensure that your documents are stored properly prior to your confidential waste collection slot.

We can tailor the cabinets to your exact office environment and storage requirements, with a range of colours, two different sizes, and a number of bespoke design options available.

Expert shredding services and waste paper collection in Glasgow

Here at Highlander Security Shredding, we proudly provide confidential document shredding, paper shredding and paper recycling services across Scotland. Our services are available to companies, individuals and households alike, with our team working hard to ensure that your waste paper and documents are handled responsibly at every stage.

With our confidential document shredding service, you can rest assured that your documents will be kept confidential throughout the process, helping to eliminate the risk of data breaches and protect your business against costly fines or reputation damage. All confidential waste is shredded within 24 hours of collection, plus all of our paper shredding is recycled. So, why wait – contact us today to find out how our shredding services in Glasgow can help you.

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