Hard drives degaussed.
SSDs shredded.
The right method for each type of media, not a one-size-fits-all machine. Every device logged by serial number, every job certified, nothing ever booted.
- NIST 800-88 Rev 2 Purge standard
- Magnetic drives degaussed to saturation
- SSD and flash media physically shredded
- Certificate of Data Destruction per device
- On-site witnessed destruction available
- GDPR and ICO compliant chain of custody
Two types of media, two methods
Magnetic and flash storage fail in completely different ways. Using the wrong method on either one leaves recoverable data behind, so we match the process to the media.
Hard drives: degaussed
Mechanical hard drives store data as magnetic patterns on spinning platters. Our degausser subjects each drive to a magnetic field strong enough to wipe those patterns completely, including the servo tracks the drive needs to operate.
- Data is erased at the physical level, not just deleted
- The drive is rendered permanently inoperable
- Nothing is recoverable, even in a forensic lab
- Meets the NIST 800-88 Purge standard for magnetic media
Applies to: 2.5" and 3.5" HDDs, server and SAN disks, LTO/DLT/DAT backup tapes, floppy and other magnetic media.
SSDs and flash: shredded
Solid state media holds data in flash memory chips with no magnetism involved, so a degausser has no effect on it whatsoever. The only reliable answer is to destroy the chips physically.
- Media is shredded into fragments
- Memory chips themselves are broken up, not just the casing
- No possibility of chip-off data recovery
- Meets the NIST 800-88 Destroy standard for flash media
Applies to: SATA and NVMe SSDs, M.2 drives, USB sticks, SD and CF cards, phone and tablet storage, optical discs.
Where and how it happens
Every option produces the same paperwork. The choice is about where you want the data destroyed and whether the hardware has a second life ahead of it.
Certified erasure
Software sanitisation to NIST 800-88 with a per-drive audit report. Used where a drive is healthy and has resale value, so the hardware stays in service and supports your zero-landfill goals.
At our facility
Media removed, logged and taken to Sowerby Bridge, where hard drives are degaussed and SSDs shredded. Included in most standard collections.
On-site destruction
Mobile degaussing and shredding at your premises, witnessed by your staff, so no readable media ever leaves your building.
What we handle
- Hard disk drives, 2.5" and 3.5" — degaussed
- Server, SAN and NAS disks — degaussed
- Backup tapes: LTO, DLT, DAT — degaussed
- Solid state drives, NVMe and M.2 — shredded
- USB sticks, SD and CF cards — shredded
- Smartphones and tablets — shredded
- Optical media — shredded
- Printer and MFD internal drives — method matched to the drive type
Why "never booted" matters
The moment a device is powered on and logged in, your data has been accessed. Our process removes media, or sanitises it from bootable tooling, without ever loading your operating system or opening a file. Nobody at Revolve sees your data, and the audit trail proves it.
Degaussing and shredding are both irreversible by design. Certified erasure, where the hardware is being kept in service, overwrites every addressable sector and verifies the result. All three produce a report you can present to auditors, regulators or clients.
The chain of custody
Logged
Every drive is scanned or recorded by serial number at the point of collection or removal.
Secured
Media travels in sealed, tamper-evident containers in a locked, GPS-tracked vehicle.
Destroyed
Hard drives degaussed, SSDs shredded, to NIST 800-88, by trained staff.
Certified
Certificate issued listing each serial number, the method used and the date.
Data destruction FAQs
Why degauss hard drives instead of shredding them?
Degaussing erases the magnetic surface itself, which is what actually holds your data, and leaves the drive permanently unusable. It is fast, certified to the NIST 800-88 Purge standard, and lets the remaining materials be recovered cleanly under our WEEE licences.
Why can't SSDs be degaussed?
Flash memory stores data as trapped electrical charge in silicon, not as magnetism. A magnetic field does nothing to it. An SSD that has been through a degausser still holds all of its data, which is why we shred them instead.
How do you tell which drives are which?
Every device is identified by make, model and serial number as it is logged. The method applied to each one is recorded against that serial number and appears on your certificate.
Is a certificate enough for GDPR?
The certificate, together with the asset register and our ICO registration, gives you documented evidence that personal data was securely destroyed by a registered processor. That is what auditors and the ICO expect to see.
Should I choose destruction or erasure?
Degaussing or shredding is the simplest answer for high-sensitivity data or media at end of life. Certified erasure is better where the drive still has resale value, and it is equally compliant under NIST 800-88.
Can my staff witness the destruction?
Yes. Choose on-site destruction and your team can watch each drive go through the degausser or shredder. We can also provide photographic or video evidence for work done at our facility.
Do you handle loose drives without the computers?
Yes. Bags or boxes of loose drives, tapes, SSDs and phones are a very common job, either collected or brought to our facility.
Do you shred paper?
Our focus is digital media and IT hardware. If you have confidential paper alongside an IT clearance, tell us when you enquire and we will advise.