Tallmadgeexpress.com - New business employs developmentally disabled

by Dan Kadar

Reporter

Tallmadge -- A new business to employ people with developmental disabilities is open in Akron.

In conjunction with the Weaver School on North Avenue, Weaver-SecurShred on Romig Road provides employment opportunities for those with developmental disabilities.

"We started out with three people with developmental disabilities and the goal is to get as many as we can put to work," general manager Jack Skinner said. "If I can get every piece of paper in Akron, which is kind of inconceivable, then we can employ more and more people, which would be fabulous."

Weaver-SecurShred, which opened in early September and is part of Weaver Industries, operates as a document-shredding facility.

Businesses may contact Weaver-SecurShred and can have lockable receptacles dropped off. When they're full, SecurShred is contacted and the bins are picked up.

From there, the employees sort white and colored paper and remove plastic and magazine-style items before the paper is sliced up into strips less than a half-inch wide.

If a customer wants, they can witness their items being destroyed either at SecurShred or over an online feed.

People can also take their personal documents to Weaver-SecurShred and have them destroyed for a minimal fee. Skinner said the primary focus, though, is to work with businesses.

When 40,000 pounds of shredded paper is accumulated, it is sold to a paper recycle and turned into lesser quality paper products like napkins and toilet tissue.

"The goal is to have anything with information on it to be recycled," Skinner said. "Sure, you could say we just shred paper, but we do it to protect your information."

Skinner said Weaver-SecurShred will work with as many people with developmental disabilities as possible.

"What's great about this is, my mission isn't just to make more money, but to see how many people I can put to work," Skinner said. "The critical mission is to employ as many people as we can. How do I do that? I get more paper. I'm out selling our services of security and information destruction so I can get more paper and people, and that's the whole goal."

Skinner said at the current facility, 10 to 15 people with developmental disabilities could work at once. He said if more are needed it would "be a good problem to have."

Some shredding companies are an on-site business and take shredding trucks to businesses. Skinner said Weaver-SecurShred was made an off-site shredding facility so it could employ people with developmental disabilities.

Skinner said he believes there are about 40 shredding companies nationwide that employ people with developmental disabilities.

"It's just great to see them when they get their paycheck and their eyes light up," Skinner said.

E-mail:dkadar@recordpub.com

Phone:330-686-3911