Media Release

It's that Time of the Year as M & J Bowers helps businesses get "Out with the Old" so they can safely get on with the new!

Yeovil waste management and recycling business M & J Bowers is urging businesses across the South West to think about how they dispose of old papers, documents and files cluttering up the office.

Since March 2000, information held in manual files and computer files such as discs and CDs relating to living individuals must be controlled, maintained and disposed of in a secure manner. Non-compliance is a crime punishable by a prison sentence, so businesses are advised not to under estimate their obligations. The Act was introduced to give greater protection to individuals in the processing of their data and covers a wide range of personal information that may be recorded, including ethnic origin, religious beliefs, and physical and mental health and criminal offences.

Mike Spencer, Account Manager of M & J Bowers comments, "Another serious consideration is security as most of us still like to have a hard copy of important documents for "safe keeping". Whether the information is about pricing, new products, marketing or investment, if a competitor should get hold of it, it could damage your company and future business. Keeping confidential information secure should be a priority, even if it is no longer required."

M & J Bowers offers both on site and off site "collect and destroy" shredding service and businesses need not worry about taking out staples or removing plastic wallets as the powerful shredding machines can cope with a whole mix of stationery, including Lever Arch Files.

Small businesses or even individuals who don't think they have enough waste to warrant calling out one of the destruction machines to the premises can bring bags to the onsite shredder and still receive the same standard of service and flexibility whether they have 10 bags or 1000. Prices start at around £40 for 10 bags of waste.

Mike continues, "At this time of year there are an awful lot of people "pretending" to be someone else and no one bats an eyelid. That's right, Santa Claus is not all he seems, but genuine identity theft is no laughing matter. In 2010 CIFAS, the UK's Fraud Prevention Service, recorded over 89,000 cases of identity theft."

Criminals target personal credit information and businesses are not only responsible for their own but also any personal information they have about their customers. If this information should fall into the wrong hands not only will it affect an individual's own credit rating but also damage a company's reputation.

M & J Bowers will help businesses and individuals start 2014 safe in the knowledge that their unwanted documents and office files have been disposed off safely and securely and the company will provide the necessary certificates so businesses can prove compliance.

For more information on M & J Bowers on and off site confidential shredding and recycling visit: www.mjbowers.co.uk

Further information: Mike Spencer, E/: mike.spencer@mjbowers.co.uk or T/: 0800 027 6255

Press information or a high res image: Jane Adkins, T/: 01935 813114 M/: 07960698089 or E/: jane@aheadforpr.co.uk

Editor's Notes

M&J Bowers was established in 1973 at the dawn of the recycling age when John Bowers was quick to spot an emerging market that he was confident would be globally adopted and determined to be at the forefront of this new industry.

Combining wise investment and a cautious expansion programme, M&J Bowers moved to new Yeovil premises in 2011 whilst continuing to meet the growing demand for its on and off-site shredding facilities.

With exceptional customer service and commitment to improving efficiency levels through a sophisticated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System and the P&L Integrated Waste System (IWS6) along with their accreditation under the ISO standard, M&J Bowers successfully formed a strong partnership with Reisswolf International AG in January 2013, giving them a global position in the Confidential Data Destruction industry.

DEC 2013 (M&JB 03)