Your office is never complete without all the necessary equipments such as a telephone, computer, printer, copier, fax machine etc. However, you are now most likely to see your office incomplete without one of the most important equipments - The Paper Shredder. The significance of a paper shredder was always underestimated by many. One can also say that paper shredder has always been an underdog in the office products industry. In fact, a majority did not even know about its significance as they probably did not tend to think that pieces of paper carrying vital piece of information can also be put together. Also, paper shredders have not been marketed properly in India. However, all this will change with the course of time. 
Identity crime is fast growing all over the world and is making a deep impact as one of the most dangerous rackets ever. It is also the top most concern amongst people. Identity crime occurs when a criminal tries to access another person's private information and opens his/her credit account, ruining the victim financially or otherwise. You could be the next victim of identity crime. The best defense against identity fraud is shredding documents with personal information before disposing them. Documents which can be shred includes financial statements, credit statements, personal checks, pay counterfoils and income documentation, addresses, phone numbers, security numbers, etc. One can also protect our mother environment through paper shredders by reducing the volume of waste whereas some people can even use shredded paper for packing material. Paper shredders are hence one of the most recommended office products, one should possess.
Types of shredding equipments
Shredders are available according to the needs of the people using them and also according to the type of shredding required. Some shredders can shred only paper or paper products, whereas some others are also capable of shredding clips, staples, CD's and even credit cards.
A personal shredder is meant for home usage and is convenient, affordable and compact. Meant for relatively light use, they typically handle between 3 and 10 sheets of document-sized paper at one time. Most personal shredders fit comfortably under a desk and offer easy waste removal. Like the bigger office shredders, the personal size models come in a wide price range. One has to be careful before buying a shredder that can handle the amount of paper volume you will be shredding. Some of the personal shredders are pretty limited in the amount of paper that can be shred at one time. Also, it just makes good sense to buy a shredder with steel cutting heads, which enables faster and better quality cuts.
Office shredders are usually made to endure the requirements of several users and can manage up to 3 cases of paper everyday, which makes them great choices for company needs. Set with features that help to make the shredding process stress-free, office shredders often come with wider throats to accommodate legal paper and continuous forms, continuous duty motors, and bag full shut-off's and reverse switches to prevent jams.
Departmental shredders are higher versions of office shredders, which can be typically used for the entire office, consisting of several departments. If you have a large office with high paper usage, then departmental shredders are ideal. The feed opening is also wider and that enables you to shred bigger stack of paper at a time.
Industrial shredders are specialized shredders that can effortlessly shred up to 140 sheets of paper at a time. These are craftily engineered to save your time, space and money. These types of shredders often come with various accessories such as conveyor belts that aid in shredding over 1000 pounds of paper products per hour.
Shred cuts
Paper comes in numerous different forms. It can be thick or thin, glossy or coarse. Shredders can cut the paper in the smallest of pieces but not every shredder can cut the paper in the same way. There are three common types of shred sizes. The most common one is known as the strip cut wherein paper can be cut into thin, long strips. This is the most economical way to go if the information is not overtly sensitive. Having said that, someone can piece together what you have shredded. But, again, if this is not a concern then there are a great number of well-made machines, from low capacity to high-end for you to choose from.
Cross-cut will make tiny pieces of paper both length wise and width wise. Unlike the strip cut, the cross cut will make small pieces of paper making it difficult to put it back together. Smaller pieces take less space than those long strip cuts that often fold eat up your storage space faster. There are various cross-cut sizes that may differ from machine to machine. The cost of a cross-cut machine is more than a strip-cut one as the cross-cut machine is smaller and hence it eats less of your office space and is more security conscious. Moreover, cross-cut machines have two cutting heads to create the shred. It is recommended that all sensitive documents should be cross-cut to avoid leakage of vital information. Several manufacturers will have cross-cut versions of their various models built to meet various needs. Hence, the buyer has to be very sure before he chooses the machine; he thinks will solve his purpose.
The high-security cut is the shorter version of the cross-cut. The cut is so small that it is impossible to rebuild the data. The cost again is higher than a cross-cut machine as the cutting heads cut the paper more precisely.
Industry summary
The industry of paper shredders is extremely scattered as there are only a few genuine manufacturers in India. Most of the companies deal only in supplying and importing paper shredders in India. A majority of the importers bring shredders from China and Germany. However, some importers also source shredders from England, Italy, France, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and Scandinavian countries. One amongst the very few reputed manufacturers in India is Pilot Business Machines Pvt. Ltd. which has captured a majority of the market share in India pertaining to the paper shredders industry. The company has established itself as a pioneer in shredders. Their high value and heavy duty shredders are in tune with technical expertise and engineering excellence. Some of the established International brands present in the Indian market are EBA & HSM from Germany, GBC & Rexel from England, Gobbler & Stud Fast from Europe and Meiko Shokai from Japan. However, things are expected to change in the industry as the past 2 years has witnessed rise in awareness of paper shredders amongst the corporate houses and hence, the industry is expected to witness an upward curve in the coming years. The industry is expected to grow at an approximate rate of 25% every year, which is steady but not slow by any stretch of imagination.
Injury risks
There is a risk of injury with paper shredders just as there is with any motorized equipments. Small residential shredders are becoming common these days. Although designed with a narrow opening to the cutting wheels, these shredders still pose a danger to pets and small children. Many home shredders can be left in a stand-by mode that will start the cutting process when anything is inserted into the feed slot. These shredders can prove extremely hazardous in homes with small children or pets. Hence, it is always advisable to unplug the shredders when not in use.
Maintenance - A must
Like every other equipment, paper shredders require regular maintenance to keep them in good working condition. If you want to avoid paper dust from settling on the heads of your shredder, than oiling it is a necessity. Dust will cause the shredder to slow down and cut less effectively. It is important to use non flammable formulated oil for maintaining your shredder. The best way to apply shredding oil is to spread a little bit on a piece of paper and then shred that piece of paper. So, one need not worry about the procedure. Users can heave a sigh of relief as far as costing is concerned as the shredder oil is relatively inexpensive.
Believe it or not, paper shredders are one of the most indispensable products available. So why think hard? Just choose the right machine and ensure safe shredding of all your important documents.
