|
In Brief Access Expands through Acquisitions
DDRS and its community partners hosted events in the Iowa cities of Davenport and Cedar Rapids, the latter collecting nearly 13,000 pounds of paper. |
Iron Mountain Acquires Cornerstone Records Management
Iron Mountain Inc., based in Boston, has acquired Cornerstone Records Management, an information storage firm headquartered in Elkridge, Md., for $191 million.
Iron Mountain says the acquisition will strengthen its core information storage business by adding complementary small and midsized organizations to its customer base.
Iron Mountain says Cornerstone Records Management predominately provides records storage, document shredding and data protection services to small and midsized organizations. The company operates throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions of the United States, as well as in California, Denver and Houston. Cornerstone stores and manages nearly 11 million cubic feet of hardcopy documents across 36 leased facilities, according to Iron Mountain.
“Acquiring Cornerstone is further example of how we use targeted acquisitions to advance our business strategy,” says William Meaney, president and CEO of Iron Mountain. “In our mature markets like the U.S., selective M&A (mergers and acquisitions) is one way we seek to expand our market presence, grow rental revenues from our storage business and sustain the durability of our strong cash flows.” He adds, “Cornerstone is a high-quality business that helps us meet these goals by adding a complementary group of small and midsized organizations to our customer base.”
Harold Ebbighausen, president of Iron Mountain, North America, says, “We welcome the customers of Cornerstone and look forward to serving them. For us, that means not only securing their records but [also] providing them insights and best practices on how they can manage information with less cost and risk. That’s when we become true business partners.”
The acquisition of Cornerstone Records Management follows Iron Mountain’s announcement that Brian P. McKeon, its executive vice president and CFO, planned to exit the business. McKeon stepped down from his position Oct. 31, 2013, but remains with Iron Mountain through the end of the year for transition purposes, Iron Mountain reports.
Nov. 1, 2013, Roderick Day, the company’s international senior vice president and CFO, began serving as acting CFO while Iron Mountain considers internal and external candidates for the position.
Day has been with Iron Mountain since 2008. Previously in his career, he held senior finance positions at AOL Europe, including director of financial control and planning, vice president of finance and strategy and CFO. Prior to working for AOL Europe, Day held senior strategic planning and finance positions at Kingfischer plc.
He has a degree in economics from Cambridge University and an MBA from London Business School.
Cintas Successfully Completes SOC 2 Audit
Cincinnati-based Cintas Corp., a leader in secure document management services, has announced the successful completion of a Service Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2, Type 2) report performed by Crowe Horwath LLP, with U.S. headquarters in Chicago, one of the largest public accounting and consulting firms in the U.S. The audit examined Cintas Document Management’s security, availability and privacy controls for the document shredding, records management and document imaging services.
“Threats and attacks against valuable business resources continue to evolve,” says Karen Carnahan, president, Cintas Document Management. “We take great pride in being able to provide our customers with further verification that we have strong and secure processes to help protect their valuable information.”
According to Cintas, the SOC 2 attestation ensures it meets stringent criteria as identified in the AICPA’s Trust Services Principles for:
- Security – Cintas’ system is protected against unauthorized access.
- Availability – Cintas’ system is available for operation and use as committed or agreed.
- Privacy – Information designed as confidential is protected by Cintas as committed or agreed.
“Completing a comprehensive SOC 2, Type 2, examination each year is challenging for service organizations,” says Craig Sullivan, a partner at Crowe Horwath LLP. “By successfully completing the SOC 2 report, Cintas Document Management has shown it complies with documented standards of security, availability and privacy for protecting its customers’ confidential information,” Sullivan adds.
Business Records Management Acquires Shredding Network
Business Records Management LLC (BRM), a Pittsburgh-based records and information management (RIM) company, has acquired Shredding Network, a Cleveland-based firm that provides records and information storage and document destruction services. (Shredding Network was profiled in the November/December 2011 issue of SDB.)
In addition to its Pittsburgh headquarters, BRM operates facilities in Erie and Johnstown, Pa. The company provides information management services to customers throughout western Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and parts of Maryland and New York.
BRM says the deal will enhance its position as a regional leader in the information management industry by complementing its services providing compliant information management solutions. BRM adds that it “is proud to acquire a company so well-known for superior customer service.”
The acquisition of Shredding Network is part of a larger strategy to improve and expand BRM’s business in the RIM industry, the company says.
BRM offers a variety of information management services, including physical document storage, secure destruction, data tape management, electronic vaulting, data center backup and document imaging.
NAID Expands CSDS Training Options
The National Association for Information Destruction (NAID), Phoenix, has announced that it will offer an online training program designed to prepare individuals for the Certified Secure Destruction Specialist (CSDS) exam.
During the first three years of the CSDS Accreditation Program, training for the exam included access to sample test questions and a webinar series. However, this fall, the association says it will replace the earlier webinar series with an interactive Web-based training program. The online training course costs $99, which can be applied to the CSDS examination fee of $279.
“The concept is simple and sure to make studying the program content easier,” says NAID Director of Certification Operations Katie Mahoney, who administers the CSDS training, exam and continuing education units.
As the online training is updated in the future, each question will include background reading and links to allow trainees to develop a thorough understanding of the issues, NAID says. Once launched, people who register for CSDS training will be given access to an online training tool that will allow them to test their knowledge of the issues regularly.
“It’s essentially an online test that will show people where they stand and what they need to study,” Mahoney says.
CSDS exams will be held on a regional basis across the U.S. and Canada between January and March 2014, culminating in a final testing opportunity at the NAID 2014 Annual Conference in Phoenix April 4. CSDS exam sites will be announced in November, at which time exam applications also will be available, NAID says.
Registration for the online training program will be on the training website, the association says.
ReadSoft Adds RhinoDox as Service Partner
ReadSoft North America, New Orleans, has named RhinoDox, Glendale Heights, Ill., its partner for automated invoice processing applications. RhinoDox will offer customers the full suite of ReadSoft invoice processing applications.
“RhinoDox is continuously evaluating new services and solutions that will help customers gain business efficiencies, increase productivity, reduce costs and comply with government regulations,” says Justin Ullman, president of RhinoDox.
“We are proud to be named a ReadSoft Partner. ReadSoft is a recognized global leader in automated invoice processing applications that is consistently included in industry analyst reports,” Ullman adds.
Bob Fresneda, president of ReadSoft North America, adds, “RhinoDox is a valuable addition to our growing partner network. Capitalizing on its long history and strong presence in Chicago and surrounding areas, RhinoDox is positioned to become a major player in the AP (accounts payable) automation and services arena with this partnership.”
According to RhinoDox, the benefits associated with automating invoice processing include:
- Quick, automatic assimilation into existing ERP (enterprise resource planning) and accounting systems;
- Enhanced accuracy and lowered operational costs through elimination of manual keying of invoices and financial document;
- Faster electronic processing, routing and approval of invoices for better vendor relations;
- Notable increases in volume processing per AP processor; and
- Increased visibility into invoice information provides more control and provides better auditing.
ReadSoft invoice processing solutions automate the process of scanning, interpreting and registrring invoice data—regardless of the source, RhinoDox says. The company’s software is designed to extract critical information and validate it via a predefined set of rules.
“ReadSoft’s partners like RhinoDox can seamlessly integrate our invoice processing software into all leading ERP systems,” says Todd LeVeque, director of channel sales, ReadSoft North America.
“We based our decision to become a ReadSoft partner on the product’s vast capability, accuracy and flexibility,” Ullman says. “Being a ReadSoft partner provides RhinoDox a wide choice in deploying solutions for customers to meet current and future needs.”
RhinoDox is offering customers ReadSoft automated invoice processing applications in its service bureau operations for paper-based invoice scan and capture as a service via ReadSoft’s cloud applications and as an on-premise solution or a hybrid of the two.
Formerly Federal Record Storage MDMC, RhinoDox is a data management and archival supplier.
Recall Appoints New Chief Information Officer
Recall, a document storage, secure document destruction, digital document management and data protection firm headquartered in Norcross, Ga., has appointed Rohan Pal as its new global chief information officer (CIO). He will be responsible for all aspects of the company’s information technology processes and practices.
Pal, who will report to Recall CEO Doug Pertz, will lead the company’s global technology team as it works with regional and local leaders to ensure consistent processes and system capabilities across all of Recall’s offices and information centers. Recall says Pal’s key business objectives will include enhancing the company’s customer service and supporting the development of new products and services.
“I’m excited to join Recall’s executive team of global leaders, and I look forward to helping expand our leadership position in the information management industry,” says Pal. “Working with Doug and the executive team, we’ll continue to innovate and deliver on Recall’s worldwide reputation of forward-thinking insight on information management.”
Pal formerly served as the CIO and COO for Tyco Fire Protection Products.
Pertz says, “Rohan will be responsible for a critical component of Recall’s business, and I am confident he will provide the leadership to leverage our IT capabilities to support our profitable growth.”
He adds, “Rohan brings an extensive and unique background and experience in IT leadership and operations. With Rohan at the helm of our information technology operations, Recall will be well-positioned to support the needs of our worldwide customers, staff and facilities.”
For approximately 80,000 customers around the globe, Recall offers services to store, protect and streamline companies’ vital information.
Award Recognizes Titan Mobile Shredding’s Growth
Information destruction company Titan Mobile Shredding, Pipersville, Pa., has announced that it was among the companies recognized by Lehigh Valley Business, placing No. 14 in the Greater Lehigh Valley’s Fastest Growing Companies for 2013. (Turn to page 16 for a profile of Titan.)
2013 marks the second consecutive year Titan was honored with the award, which is presented by ParenteBeard and sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Group. In 2012, Titan ranked No. 16.
Don Adriaansen and Bob Leventhal founded Titan in 2005. The National Association for Information Destruction- (NAID-) certified company provides on-site document destruction and media and hard drive destruction for companies in parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
To qualify for the award, companies had to meet selection criteria that included revenue of at least $500,000 within the past three out of four years and revenue growth over a four-year period from fiscal 2009 to 2012.
ParenteBeard calculated the nominations and then ranked the companies according to revenue growth over the specified period. Dollar and percentage increases were considered.
Iron Mountain Breaks Ground on Boston-Area Data Center
Iron Mountain Inc., headquartered in Boston, has broken ground on a regional data center in Northborough, Mass. When operational, the facility will be the first regional data center for the company.
The decision to build a data center follows the company’s April 30, 2013, announcement that it would enter the multitenant data center market. At that time, it began leasing wholesale and retail co-location data center space in its underground facility in western Pennsylvania.
The Boston-area data center, slated to open in early 2014, will feature Tier III certified design and construction and will offer what Iron Mountain says is the region’s only LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certified facility. The company says the new data center will add to an existing campus of records storage centers the company maintains in Northborough.
Iron Mountain adds that it expects highly regulated organizations to find the site an attractive option for meeting stringent industry requirements for the storage and management of information. Complementing the secure data center facility, Iron Mountain says it will offer comprehensive services for the management of data assets, including migration, networking, tape handling, IT asset tracking, disposition and more.
“Home to many highly regulated organizations, the Greater Boston area is underserved in terms of access to area data centers capable of meeting their unique needs,” says Mark Kidd, Iron Mountain senior vice president and general manager of data centers. “With security and compliance at the core of Iron Mountain’s operations, those highly regulated industries like health care, biotech and financial services can now choose a better-suited option for their data center operations.”
Iron Mountain will work with Dallas-based Compass Datacenters to design and build Iron Mountain’s Boston data center. Each of the facility’s three data halls will provide:
- 10,000 square feet of space with a 3-foot-high raised floor to provide flexible layout and design;
- Support for 1.2 megawatts (MW) of critical IT load and cool densities of up to 20 kilowatt per rack without containment;
- “2N” uninterruptable power supply (UPS) architecture, multiple 2-MW generators and N+1 mechanical system to deliver the enhanced reliability of a concurrently maintainable Tier III certified design;
- Miami-Dade County standards, built to withstand winds up to 149 mph and meet a 1.5 seismic rating; and
- Redundant fiber entrance facilities to offer no single point of failure for net work services.
“Compass Datacenters’ innovative designs and construction methodology enable us to build natural disaster-resistant, dedicated data centers quickly and with great precision,” says Chris Crosby, CEO of Compass Datacenters. “With more than 20 years of experience, our team can design and build Iron Mountain’s Boston data center so it can be fully operational within six months.”
Access Ranks with Inc.
Rob Alston, CEO of Livermore, Calif.-based Access, has announced that the company has ranked on the 2013 Inc. 500|5000 list, making it a five-time Inc. 500|5000 honoree. The ranking represents a nearly 500 point jump over the previous year’s position on the list, the company says.
In 2013, Access ranked 2,687 on the Inc. 500|5000. The company ranked 3,152 in 2012; 2,037 in 2011; 1,695 in 2010; and 1,637 in 2009.
“This achievement belongs to every Access team member,” Alston says. “Achieving incredible growth year after year directly reflects the dedication, teamwork and commitment to providing the very best service by each Access team member. We couldn’t be more proud of our company’s progress, our leadership position in the records and information management industry or the reputation we’ve built for providing the very best service to our clients.”
According to Inc., Access grew 130 percent over the last three years, achieving revenue of $59.4 million in 2012 compared with $25.8 million in 2009.
Access serves 29 markets across the nation and in Latin America.
NAID Provides Consumer Certification Notifications
The National Association for Information Destruction (NAID), Phoenix, reports that it has developed a consumer notification process for certification status.
Because many clients rely on NAID certification to validate service providers’ security and regulatory compliance, the association says it has made it easier to monitor. Consumers can search the NAID membership directory for their service providers and select the “NAID AAA Notification” link under the listings. Clicking the link launches an email template requesting a notification of the renewal or lapsing of that provider’s NAID AAA Certification, the association says.
“The notification service comes as a result of requests from consumers who are requiring NAID AAA Certification from their data destruction vendors,” says NAID Certification Rules Chair Angie Singer Keating, CEO of Reclamere, Tyrone, Pa. “At its heart, it is not so new,” Keating adds. “The NAID office has been unofficially responding to such requests over the years. This simply formalizes the process and makes it more accessible.”
More information is available at www.naidonline.org/nitl/en/cert/cnp.html.
The NAID AAA Certification Program is offered on a voluntary basis to all NAID member companies providing information destruction services. NAID members may seek certification for mobile and plant-based operations in paper or printed media, micro media, computer hard drive destruction and/or computer hard drive sanitization. The certification program establishes standards for a secure destruction process, including such areas as operational security, employee hiring and screening, the destruction process, responsible disposal and insurance.
NAID is the nonprofit trade association of the secure destruction industry and currently represents more than 1,900 member locations globally. NAID’s mission is to promote the proper destruction of discarded information through education and to encourage the outsourcing of destruction needs to qualified contractors.
Cintas to Offer Document Shredding Services at OfficeMax Locations
Cincinnati-based Cintas Corp. and OfficeMax are collaborating on a program to provide customers with secure shredding services at OfficeMax locations throughout the country. Additionally, during National Protect Your Identity Week Oct. 20-26, 2013, the companies were providing shredding services for 49 cents per pound.
“We take pride in offering our business customers the most secure and reliable services to meet all of their document management needs,” says Ed Delamater, Cintas Document Management vice president of operations. “With OfficeMax, we’re able to help protect the privacy of millions of consumers throughout the U.S. by ensuring that their private information is securely destroyed.”
Through the program, customers can bring their documents to any OfficeMax location. The documents will be placed in a locked, secured collection bin for off-site destruction. Cintas will collect the containers and transport the documents to shredding facilities where they will be destroyed.
“As a business, we trust Cintas to securely shred our confidential documents, and we are pleased to extend this service to our valued customers,” says Robert Rodriguez Jr., OfficeMax category manager. “Now customers will be able to dispose of their confidential materials safely and conveniently at any of our retail locations.”
Latest from Recycling Today
- AISI, Aluminum Association cite USMCA triangular trading concerns
- Nucor names new president
- DOE rare earths funding is open to recyclers
- Design for Recycling Resolution introduced
- PetStar PET recycling plant expands
- Iron Bull addresses scrap handling needs with custom hoppers
- REgroup, CP Group to build advanced MRF in Nova Scotia
- Oregon county expands options for hard-to-recycling items
