Exterior Wall Systems

Government and military operations have been using paper shredders for half a century. The very first shredder was patented in the U.S. in 1909. In the 1930s a German inventor produced a hand-cranked shredder based on pasta makers, and following World War 2 sold it to government agencies and financial institutions. From the 1970s on, US government agencies and US embassies have used shredders to dispose of sensitive documents.

Paper shredders are generally one of two types: the strip-cut shredder and the confetti-cut, or cross-cut, shredder. A strip-cut shredder creates very narrow strips the length of the document being shredded. That is, an 11 inch by 8 inch page cut by a strip-cut shredder results in very narrow strips that are 11 inches long. A cross-cut shredder cuts the paper into tiny shapes, including diamonds or rectangles. Both strip-cut and cross-cut models can be found in heavy duty paper shredders. A more uncommon kind of shredder, the particle shredder, cuts papers into circles or squares.

A strip-cut industrial shredder generally is less expensive than cross-cut shredders; however, they don't provide you with the same level of security. For a business that wants to shred a large amount of documentation that doesn't contain sensitive information, strip-cut heavy duty shredders are a true workhorse. These types of shredders can handle more paper at the same time than cross-cut shredders. They will have some drawbacks. Someone with determination and a lot of time can piece together the strips of your shredded document. They also produce a higher amount of waste.

Cross-cut or confetti guillotine cutters provide a advanced level of security. All shredders are issued recognized security levels according to the dimensions of the particles or strips they create. Cross-cut shredders can range from Level 1 to Level 6, denoting non-sensitive data at Level 1 up to Top Secret and Classified data at Level 6. Strip-cut shredders aren't rated over Level 3, or Confidential data. Since cross-cut shredders create particles rather than strips, they have a much lower amount of waste compared to strip-cut shredders. However, they usually are unable to handle as many sheets of paper at the same time like a strip-cut shredder.

The heavy-duty shredders provide a variety of features which make operations safe and efficient. For instance, paper jam prevention features are prepared for too much paper fed into your machine at once, or paper which is improperly fed. Many shredders are set to turn off when hands or other objects get too close to the operating system.

Maintenance features include automatic oilers and high cling shred oil that helps keep your cutting blades sharp and operating efficiently. Power saving components such as sleep modes that save energy when the shredder isn't in use are also available. Automatic cleaning cycles will help keep your cutting blades working efficiently by preventing paper buildup.

Once paper has been shredded with heavy duty shredders, the waste can be recycled in several different ways if a company wishes. Shredded paper can be used as animal bedding, for packaging, as well as for cardboard briquettes, which is often used as an alternative fuel source.

Some people could see paper shredding as unnecessary, however in today's world, it is necessary when sensitive documents need to be disposed of. Shredding takes away the worry that sensitive information will get into the wrong hands, and helps the environment simultaneously.