Paul Hill, business editorThe young entrepreneur behind a shredding business near Norwich is on course to hit turnover of �1m within two years after expanding his fleet of vehicles.Paul Hill, business editor

The young entrepreneur behind a shredding business near Norwich is on course to hit turnover of �1m within two years after expanding his fleet of vehicles.

Simon Franklin set up Shred Station, based in Bidwell Road, Rackheath, in 2008 - offering clients the option of having waste paper with confidential data shredded on their premises in tailor-made vans.

Mr Franklin has now spent �160,000 buying a third shredding vehicle to cope with a burgeoning portfolio of clients across the country, including health bodies and the financial services industry.

The firm, which processes about 200 tonnes of shredded paper a month, has also increased its workforce from seven to nine people in the last year.

Two staff members are being put through HGV driver training.

'We've picked up quite a few large clients and we're expanding as those bigger jobs come along,' Mr Franklin said.

'We now go to Nottingham, Leicester, Oxford and Reading and we're going to be basing one of our vehicles in London full time.

'We're very confident that we can reach turnover of �1m this year.'

Mr Franklin said the new clients were drawn from both the public and private sector, and included a blue-chip national organisation.

The shredded material - which includes electrical components such as sim cards, microfiche, tapes and cartridges - is sent for recycling where possible.

'We're pushing for a warehouse at the moment so we can offer the full package,' Mr Franklin said.

'We've got vans going around doing on-site shredding and an off-site vehicle that collects electrical waste, like toners. But we want to offer the full service, including off-site shredding as well.'