MyBinding Knowledge Base
Why should I use a shredder?
Paper shredders can be found in just about every office across America, whether home or corporate. Machines that were previously considered a luxury are now becoming a necessity, even legally required in many cases. But how does that pertain to you? Here are five reasons why having a shredder may be right for you.
- Confidentiality. Often we live with the mentality of “It won’t happen to me.” We learn this attitude as children and don’t outgrow it as adults. Identity theft seems so far removed from us…until it happens. Did you know that one in ten Americans have already been victimized by identity thieves? In 2008, there were ten million identity theft victims in the United States alone. One of the most common ways is dumpster diving for discarded personal information. Using a paper shredder to destroy personal and business information before disposing of it can save you time and money, not to mention the hassle of attempting to recover a stolen identity.
- It’s the law. The implementation of two federal laws require the use of a shredder. One is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which demands that the privacy of every person’s health information be respected. The other is the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) which requires personal employee information to be destroyed before being thrown away. To keep compliant, you must have at least a level three shredder to destroy these items and keep them safely out of the wrong hands.
- To save money. Companies often turn to a shredding service to take care of document destruction. But besides lessening security by allowing confidential documents to leave the building, this practice is also a waste of money. While a decent shredder can be a large investment up front, it will save you money in the long run by eliminating costly monthly payments. The other way you’ll save money is by keeping your identity intact. Victims spend an average of $851 to $1378 simply trying to resolve the issue, which doesn’t take into consideration assets lost when financial information is involved.
- Keep confidential items in house. Shredding services sift confidential items through several pairs of hands between loading the truck, driving to their site, unloading, and finally shredding. With an in-house shredder, you can watch as sensitive materials change from full size documents into tiny pieces. You are in total control of who has access to your private information, whether it’s personal data or confidential business paperwork.
- Convenience. It may seem easier to let someone else take care of your shredding needs. But who needs extra piles of paper on their desk? It’s just as easy to have a deskside shredder and slide in your unwanted items as they arise. This not only keeps your information safe from prying eyes, but your desk will stay clearer as well.
< Over the years, a number of customers have asked me whether they can use twin loop wire with their plastic comb binding machine. These customers often don’t want to have to buy a brand new machine but like the look and feel of twin loop wire binding. However, the answer to their question isn’t as simple as it seems. You see, they actually do make twin loop wire that is designed to work with the plastic comb binding hole pattern. With that said, if you want to use these wires you are going to need a way to close the wires. What is Spiral-O Wire? Let me explain a little bit more…There is a product that we carry called Spiral-O Wire. This wire has 19 loops and is designed to work with the hole pattern from a plastic comb binding machine. Spiral-O Wire is sometimes called Wire Combs or Ibico Wire and was originally designed for use with some of the older Ibico binding machines. A number of the older Ibico plastic comb binding machines also included a twin loop wire closer on the front of them to allow users to use both plastic combs and wire. This 19 loop wire was designed for this purpose. What Equipment is Needed? As the Ibico brand has been phased out by GBC and all of the older Ibico plastic binding machines have been replaced with new models, they no longer have the twin loop wire closer on the front of them. This presents a problem in trying to use these spiral-o wires since you can’t use the wires without a way to close them. One of the only options left is to purchase a Twin Loop wire closer. However, since twin loop wire closers are not incredibly cheap this option usually only appeals to users who have larger electric plastic comb binding machines. Otherwise, it is often advisable to simply buy a low end 3:1 pitch twin loop wire binding machine (the supplies are cheaper). This being said, if you have one of the older Ibico binding machines that has a wire closer included you are in luck. The Spiral-O binding supplies that we carry will work perfectly with your machine and you will be able to use both plastic combs and wire depending on your needs. These Spiral-O binding supplies are available in Black, Silver, White, Blue and Red and in sizes up to 1″ in diameter. If you aren’t sure what type of wire binding supplies that you need to work with your machine simply give us a call. Our trained sales representatives will be glad to help you find the correct supplies for use with your machine.(Read More)
