An industrial shredder can handle varying amounts of paper at once, depending on its design, capacity, and intended use. Generally, industrial shredders are built to process large volumes of paper efficiently and can handle anywhere from a few hundred pounds to several tons of paper per hour.
For instance, smaller industrial shredders might process around 500 to 1,000 sheets of paper at a time, translating to approximately 50 to 100 pounds per hour. These are suitable for medium-sized businesses or departments with moderate shredding needs.
Larger, high-capacity industrial shredders, often used by recycling centers or large corporations, can handle significantly more. They might process 5,000 to 10,000 sheets of paper at once, equating to 500 to 1,000 pounds per hour or more. Some heavy-duty models can even shred entire stacks of paper, including binders and folders, without the need for pre-sorting or removal of staples and paper clips.
The specific capacity of an industrial shredder is influenced by factors such as the motor power, the design of the cutting blades, and the feed opening size. Additionally, the type of paper being shredded (e.g., standard office paper, cardboard, or thicker materials) can affect the amount processed at once.
Ultimately, the choice of an industrial shredder should align with the volume of paper needing disposal, the desired speed of operation, and the level of security required (e.g., strip-cut, cross-cut, or micro-cut shredding).