Cintas Highlights The Top 10 Innovations In Document Management

A historical account of the most influential inventions of the industry

To help celebrate its 10-year anniversary as the leading document management provider, Cintas Corporation announced the top 10 innovations in document management throughout history. The list highlights key inventions and developments that have shaped the way information is stored, organized and destroyed throughout history.

 “The past 10 years have been extremely rewarding for us, and much of our success would not be possible without these key innovations,” said Karen Carnahan, President, Cintas Document Management. “As we kick off our anniversary celebrations, we want to take a moment to reflect as we plan for future growth.”

The Cintas top 10 list of key document management innovations includes:

• 5000 B.C.: The original “tablet” – Long before the digital tablets of today, a very different tablet was used to record and document information. As early as 5000 B.C., tablets of stone, clay or wax were inscribed with stories, scriptures and mathematical calculations. These rectangular tablets were typically the same size as a legal sheet of paper and weighed almost 25 pounds each.
• 3000 B.C.: Papyrus – Although now practically extinct, the papyrus plant was once used as the main paper source in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. As early as 3000 B.C., this sturdy plant was gathered from the banks of the Nile River and formed into rolls held together by the natural gum of the papyrus plant. The papyrus documents of ancient Pharaohs are still in existence, which demonstrates the immense durability of this natural material.
• 1440: Printing press – The printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg in a small German town in 1440, is still widely recognized as one of the most influential innovations of modern time. Through the combination of oil-based ink and metal components, Gutenberg introduced movable type to the world and consequently, the spread of knowledge.
• 1770: Eraser – Before the introduction of the common eraser, stones, wax and even pieces of bread were used to erase unwanted markings. It wasn’t until 1770 that English engineer Edward Nairne discovered the practical application of rubber for the removal of pencil markings. According to Nairne, he accidentally grabbed a piece of rubber instead of bread crumbs, resulting in the discovery of the eraser.
• 1898: File cabinet – Edwin Seibels found the pigeonhole filing system to be inefficient and time consuming, so he invented the first vertical filing system in 1898, which ultimately revolutionized record keeping. The vertical file cabinet streamlined business operations allowed for easier data retrieval and increased office efficiency.
• 1899: Paper clip – Norwegian inventor Johan Vaaler is credited with receiving the first patent for a paper clip in 1899. The original paperclip was used to attach tickets to fabric and differed in appearance from the common office paper clip of today. The double oval shaped paper clip still in existence was originally designed by Gem Manufacturing Ltd. in England, and is widely recognized as the “Gem” clip.
• 1909: Paper Shredder – The first paper shredder was invented in 1909 by acclaimed inventor, Abbot Augustus Low. Companies such as Cintas Corporation have significantly improved upon Low’s original invention by using a mobile shredding truck to provide secure, on-site shredding services. A mobile shredding truck provides businesses with an efficient resource to dispose of confidential, sensitive documents without having to leave the premises.
• 1914: Optical Character Recognition (OCR) – OCR technology enables written text to be easily read and converted into a digital format. Initially, this technology was used to develop reading devices for the blind and telegraph code throughout the early 1900s. Today, Cintas uses this advanced data capturing software to efficiently transfer records into digital format for a myriad of industries. OCR technology helps customers remain compliant, while organizing and consolidating their information.
• 1957: Personal Computer – The first personal computer was introduced by IBM in 1957 with a modest price tag of $55,000. The unit was the first programmable computer for use by one person in an office-style setting. At the time, the 750-pound machine performed speedy arithmetic calculations for academic settings, military intelligence operations and the sciences.
• 1982: The Internet – In its most primitive form, the Internet Protocol Suite was introduced in 1982 as the first worldwide network of data. Through the creation of the Internet, information can be sent around the world in a matter of seconds rather than days. Today, document imaging providers use the Internet for “Scan-on-Demand” programs, which enable businesses to archive all paper files off-site and convert documents into digital format on a need basis for cost-efficient file conversion.

For more information, visit www.cintas.com/documentmanagement.

About Cintas Corporation
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas Corporation provides highly specialized services to businesses of all types primarily throughout North America. Cintas designs, manufactures and implements corporate identity uniform programs, and provides entrance mats, restroom cleaning and supplies, tile and carpet cleaning, promotional products, first aid, safety, fire protection products and services and document management services for more than 900,000 businesses. Cintas is a publicly held company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.