Mobile Document Shredding Service

Provide on-site document shredding with mobile shredding trucks

Startup Cost
$120,000-$350,000
Difficulty
Advanced
Time to Profit
18-30 months
Profit Potential
$15,000-$75,000/month

Overview

Mobile shredding services charge $75-$150 per service call or $0.08-$0.20 per pound.

Operating 2-4 trucks completing 400-1,200 stops monthly generates $180,000-$900,000 annually with 60-75% margins after trucks, fuel, labor, and insurance.

In 2025, businesses must securely destroy confidential documents for compliance (FACTA, HIPAA, GLBA).

Services include on-site mobile shredding, scheduled service contracts, one-time purge services, locked security containers, certificates of destruction, and NAID AAA certification.

Successful mobile shredding businesses invest in shredding trucks ($100K-$200K), maintain regular service routes, provide secure chain of custody, comply with NAID standards, and build recurring scheduled service accounts.

Can serve businesses, medical offices, law firms, financial institutions, and residential customers.

Recurring scheduled service (weekly, monthly) provides stable revenue.

One-time purges seasonal (spring cleaning, year-end).

Marketing through business networking, chamber of commerce, and direct B2B sales.

Required Skills

  • Route Management
  • Compliance Knowledge
  • Business Sales
  • Operations Management
  • Customer Service
  • Safety Protocols

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Recurring scheduled service revenue
  • Compliance requirements drive demand
  • High barriers to entry (truck cost)
  • Scalable with multiple trucks and routes
  • Sell shredded paper to recyclers

Cons

  • Very high startup cost ($120K-$350K)
  • Truck maintenance and fuel costs
  • Long time to build profitable routes
  • Competition from national chains (Iron Mountain, Shred-it)
  • Physical demanding work

How to Get Started

  1. Research mobile shredding industry and regulations
  2. Secure financing for shredding truck
  3. Get NAID AAA certification
  4. Set up routes and service areas
  5. Price competitively (scheduled and one-time)
  6. Market to businesses needing compliance
  7. Build scheduled service accounts for recurring revenue

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