PrintThree United Parcel Service stores in Scottsdale, Phoenix and Mesa will test a cash-operated, do-it-yourself shredder developed by two Gilbert men.
If enough people use the shredders during the two-month pilot project, the machines could be installed in up to 4,000 UPS stores nationwide.
"Those three stores are critical for us the next two months," said Jeff Beard, co-owner of Chandler-based You-Shred, the company that sells and leases the shredders.
"The pilot project has the potential of putting You-Shred on the nationwide map."
Beard and his business partner, Tom Stutting, enlisted engineers to combine a vending machine-type dollar acceptor with a heavy-duty shredder that even shreds computer disks.
With the You-Shred machine, people can shred a hundred pages in a minute for $1. Seven minutes costs $5.
The machine is jam-proof, and the blades are hidden so fingers can never touch them, Beard said.
You-Shred works in a cross-cutting fashion, creating not strips but confetti that can't be reassembled by would-be identity thieves. The confetti is recycled.
Beard said any mail store or copy store is a potential home for You-Shred.
The invention grew out of a need.
Bulk companies pick up boxes and shred the contents at another location. Home shredders, especially the low-end models, tend to jam, overheat or are slow.
"UPS is out there actively looking for a shredding solution to offer, and they love our concept because documents are destroyed on the spot," Beard said.
You-Shred is running an ad campaign during the pilot project, offering coupons for free shredding.
"I think the potential is huge," said Gary Law, owner of The UPS Store in Fry's Grocery Plaza on the northwestern corner of Country Club and Baseline roads in Mesa. "You can shred credit cards and bank statements and all the items that deal with identity theft."
Law had installed blue recycling containers in his store, but customers felt uneasy about discarding sensitive documents because they didn't know when and where the papers would be shredded.
"I think it gives the user ... a sense of security," said Law, who has spoken with mailbox holders in his store.
"They've shown high interest (in the shredder) because they get credit-card applications, and they just hate to throw them in the trash."
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Where to find You-Shred
Locations of You-Shred, including the three UPS stores in the pilot project.
* The UPS Store
6501 E. Greenway Parkway
Suite 103
(Southeastern corner of Greenway and 64th Street)
Scottsdale
* The UPS Store
550 W. Baseline Road
(Northwestern corner of Country Club and Baseline)
Suite 102
Mesa
* The UPS Store
10645 N. Tatum Boulevard
(Northeastern corner of Tatum and Shea)
Suite 200
Phoenix
* PostNet
2925 E. Riggs Road
(Southwestern corner of Riggs and Gilbert roads)
Chandler
* Copy Solutions
6140 W. Chandler Blvd.
(Northwestern corner of Kyrene and Chandler)
Chandler
* Mail and More
Fry's Marketplace Center
9920 S. Rural Road
(Northwestern corner of Ray and Rural roads)
Tempe
Information: www.you-shred.net 480-440-2174.