In our increasingly digital world, it's easy to overlook the fact that paper is still everywhere. But take a look around your office, doctor's office, government agency or law firm, and you'll see how important – and how vulnerable – paper still is.
Contracts, invoices, payment receipts, medical forms, customer files, employment records and printed emails are just a few examples of paper documents that regularly contain personal, financial or confidential data. Unfortunately, when these documents are no longer needed, they often end up in unsecured waste bins or in general waste, where anyone who knows where to look can find them.
Physical documents do not disappear with a click. If they are not destroyed properly, they continue to pose a threat.
And that risk is real. From data theft and corporate espionage to breaches of data protection laws, the consequences of careless document disposal can be serious. Whether you want to protect trade secrets or your customers' personal data, secure paper destruction is not just a matter of operational procedures, but also the basis for responsible business practices.
Paper is easy to overlook, but even easier to misuse.
Why secure shredding is important
Many companies have invested heavily in cyber security – firewalls, encryption, access control – but leave physical files unprotected from the world's oldest method: rummaging through the waste paper basket.
This negligence creates a critical vulnerability. A vulnerability that is increasingly recognised by regulatory and data protection authorities worldwide.
Strict compliance standards such as:
- GDPR (EU) – requires the secure destruction of all personal data, whether physical or digital
- HIPAA (USA) – requires the complete protection of printed medical patient data
- DIN 66399 (Germany) – sets precise security levels for the destruction of documents based on the sensitivity of the data
These regulations do not distinguish between a hacked file and a stolen printed document. From a legal perspective, a data breach is a data breach – regardless of how it occurred.
Non-compliance can have the following consequences:
- 🚫 High fines
- 💔 Loss of customer trust and damage to reputation
- ⚖️ Liability risks and lawsuits
- 🔍 Audits, investigations and business interruptions
intimus: The benchmark in document destruction
At intimus International, we know that information security does not end at the screen. Since 1956, we have been helping companies worldwide to destroy documents precisely, securely and in full compliance with legal requirements.
What sets an intimus document shredder apart:
🔧 Powerful German engineering
Every machine is designed for powerful, consistent and quiet shredding – ideal for office environments and high-volume use.
🔐 Certified security
Our document shredders meet and exceed the most stringent international standards, including security levels P-2 to P-7 in accordance with DIN 66399, depending on the sensitivity of your documents.
📊 Scalable solutions
From compact, user-friendly office models to industrial machines for centralised mass destruction, our product portfolio adapts to your work process and security requirements.
🛡️ Designed for your security
Thanks to advanced security features, intuitive controls and years of experience, you can shred your documents with confidence every day.
Stay compliant. Stay secure. Shred with confidence.
Paper may be outdated, but it is not obsolete – nor is the need for its secure destruction. intimus enables companies, public authorities and institutions worldwide to close the security chain and eliminate the risks associated with paper disposal.
Don't wait for a security breach to take the physical security of your documents seriously.
intimus International is your reliable global partner when it comes to protecting your important data.
