How do I prepare a document destruction company for sale?

A shredding company handles clients’ confidential material. Clients hand over sensitive paper and expect proof it was destroyed. A buyer will look for that proof in your files, so the most useful preparation is getting the records in order. If you have already read our pages on what a buyer checks, think of this as the same list seen from the owner’s side.

Show which work repeats

Split your revenue story into scheduled work, such as bins and consoles collected on a route, and one-off purges. Show the two separately, because routes are scheduled and purges depend on a client’s clean-out. Be ready to explain how long accounts have stayed and which ones are under written agreements.

Custody logs and certificates

Gather the chain-of-custody records and the certificates of destruction you have issued, and show how they are stored and how a client can request a copy. A tidy archive shows the process works. Ask your lawyer how long clients or you should expect to keep them.

Trucks, shredders and recovered paper

Collect maintenance files for each truck and shredder, along with any inspection reports and records of repairs and downtime. Write down who buys your recovered paper, how pickups are arranged and whether that arrangement is in writing. A buyer will ask whether it carries over. Our page on assessing equipment condition shows what a buyer’s inspector may look at.

Staff and security

• Staff screening records, kept securely and shared only as your lawyer advises.
• Training notes and written procedures for handling client material.
• Access controls at the plant and on the vehicles.
• Any incident or complaint record and how each was resolved.