HSM Model Numbers Decoded: What SECURIO B32, AF300, X20 and 125.2 Actually Mean

HSM model numbers follow a consistent logic once you know the three parts. The family name sets the duty class: SECURIO is the professional office range, shredstar is the entry-level personal and small-office range, and Powerline is the industrial continuous-duty range. Inside SECURIO, the letter describes the body and feed style (B, C, AF, P) and the number scales with throat width and sheet capacity. The DIN 66399 security level is a separate suffix, because the same chassis is built with several different cutting heads.

That last point is where buyers go wrong. An HSM name is a family, a body style, a size class and a security level stacked together, and two machines that look identical can shred to very different particle sizes.

The three current families and what each name signals

HSM GmbH + Co. KG of Salem, Germany builds under a small number of family names. The family tells you the intended duty cycle far more reliably than the number does.

• SECURIO: the professional office range. Built for shared departmental use, with steel cutting cylinders, higher duty cycles and security levels from P-2 up to P-7 depending on model. Where most commercial, government and healthcare buyers land.
• shredstar: the entry-level range for personal desks and very small workgroups. Lighter duty cycles, smaller bins, lower cost. Fine for one user; not for a whole floor's paper.
• Powerline: the industrial range, including the FA and SP series. Continuous-duty machines for shredding centers and in-plant destruction operations, often specified with conveyor feed and baling downstream.

If the family does not match the use, matching the number will not fix it: a shredstar in a busy mailroom fails on duty cycle, not sheet capacity.

Inside SECURIO: what the letter tells you

Within SECURIO, the letter is the body and feed style — how the machine physically works, and usually the first decision to make.

• B: base standalone office models — a shredding head on its own cabinet with a pull-out bin or bag frame. The core of the range, from shared desk-side units up to departmental machines. Examples: B22, B24, B32, B34, B35.
• C: compact models for tight floor space, with a smaller footprint and bin than a B model in a similar capacity class.
• AF: autofeed. A stack goes into a closed, lockable feed tray and shreds unattended, so the operator loads once and walks away. AF150, AF300 and AF500 sit at increasing stack capacities, and a manual slot is retained.
• P: high-capacity professional models such as P36, P40 and P44. Larger throats and bins, heavier drive trains and the widest choice of high-security cutting heads.

Inside SECURIO: what the number tells you

The number is a size and capacity class: higher generally means a wider throat, a larger container and higher sheet capacity at the same security level. It is not a sheet count and not a security rating.

• Same letter, higher number: a step up in throat width, bin volume and capacity — a B34 is larger than a B32.
• Same number, different letter: a different body and feed concept, not necessarily a different capacity class.
• Across families: the numbers are not comparable. A shredstar X20 and a SECURIO B22 have nothing to do with each other.
• Capacity moves with security level: the same model shreds fewer sheets per pass at P-5 than P-4. Read the figure for the level you are buying.

The security-level suffix: why one chassis appears at several DIN 66399 levels

This is the most confusing thing about HSM naming, and the reason two people can both own a “SECURIO B32” and own different machines. HSM builds one chassis and fits it with different cutting heads, each to a different DIN 66399 protection class. The name stays the same; the level is a separate suffix or variant.

• The standard: DIN 66399 paper classes run P-1 (largest particles) to P-7 (smallest). P-4 is the common commercial default; P-5 is usual where information is personally identifiable or sensitive; P-6 and P-7 cover classified material.
• The chassis stays the same: footprint, bin, control panel and cabinet are largely unchanged across levels.
• Everything downstream changes: sheet capacity, shred volume per bin fill and run time per bag all drop, and the cutting head differs.
• Ordering: quoting only “B34” is not enough — state family, model and security level.

See our comparison of P-4 versus P-5 security levels.

shredstar, Powerline, ProfiPack and V-Press number logic

The other families each use their own convention, and none follow the SECURIO pattern.

• shredstar X-numbers: the number roughly tracks sheet capacity — X5 small, X10 mid-range, X17 and X20 larger. Treat it as an indicator, not a specification, and confirm the rated capacity for your security level.
• shredstar S-numbers: models such as the S10 are strip-cut units at the entry level, where speed and price outweigh particle size.
• Powerline FA and SP: industrial series designations, not capacity numbers. Specification is driven by throughput, feed method and what sits downstream.
• ProfiPack C400 and P425: cardboard converters. The number identifies the model; the practical difference is the mat format produced and the box thickness accepted.
• V-Press 504, 610 and 860: vertical balers, where the number identifies the press class. Bale size, press force and required ceiling height all differ.

Legacy Classic models and reading a full model string

Before the current naming, HSM used decimal model numbers under the Classic name — the 125.2, 225.2 and 411.2 among them. The digits identified the model, the decimal the generation. They are long out of production, but many still run: the steel cutting cylinders outlast the electronics around them.

• What replaced them: the Classic office models were superseded by SECURIO, which is where to look for a current equivalent.
• Matching an old machine: match on throat width, security level and bin capacity, not the legacy number. Our guide to the Classic 125.2, 225.2 and 411.2 covers the equivalents.
• Consumables still fit: shredder oil and many bag sizes carry across generations, so a legacy machine usually stays serviceable even where spare parts are scarce.

To order, read the string left to right: family, letter or series, number, security level. For a replacement, check throat width against the widest thing you actually feed it, bin capacity against how often someone will empty it, and security level against your destruction policy — not against whatever the old machine was. Comparing ranges? Start with our HSM shredder comparison guide or SECURIO versus shredstar.

Quick reference

• Family first: SECURIO is professional office, shredstar is entry level, Powerline is industrial.
• SECURIO letters: B is base standalone, C is compact, AF is autofeed, P is high-capacity professional.
• SECURIO numbers scale with throat width, bin volume and capacity class — not with security.
• Security level is a separate DIN 66399 suffix; one chassis is offered at several levels.
• Sheet capacity always falls as the security level rises on the same model.
• shredstar X-numbers roughly track sheet capacity; Powerline FA and SP are series names, not capacities.
• Classic decimal models such as 125.2, 225.2 and 411.2 are legacy and were superseded by SECURIO.

Frequently asked questions

What does the B in HSM SECURIO B32 mean?

The B identifies the base standalone office body style: a shredding head mounted on its own cabinet with a pull-out waste container or bag frame. It is the core SECURIO configuration, distinct from C compact models, AF autofeed models and P high-capacity professional models. The 32 is the size and capacity class, and the security level is stated separately.

Do HSM model numbers tell you the security level?

No. The model number identifies the size and capacity class only. The DIN 66399 security level is carried as a separate suffix or variant, because HSM builds the same chassis with several different cutting heads. This is why a single model name can appear at P-2, P-4, P-5 and sometimes higher, with different sheet capacities at each level.

What is the difference between SECURIO and shredstar?

SECURIO is the professional office range, built for shared departmental use with heavier drive trains, higher duty cycles and a wide choice of security levels. shredstar is the entry-level range for a single desk or a very small office, with lighter duty cycles and smaller bins. The deciding factor is how many people feed the machine, not sheet capacity alone.

What does AF mean on an HSM shredder?

AF stands for autofeed. These SECURIO models take a stack of paper into a closed, lockable feed tray and shred it unattended, so an operator loads the tray once and leaves. AF150, AF300 and AF500 denote increasing stack capacities. A conventional manual feed slot is retained for stapled documents, cards and anything you prefer to feed by hand.

Are HSM Classic models such as the 125.2 still supported?

The Classic decimal models are long out of production and were superseded by the SECURIO range. Many units are still running because the steel cutting cylinders are durable, and consumables such as shredder oil and common bag sizes still fit. Spare mechanical and electronic parts are scarce, so most owners replace by matching throat width, bin capacity and security level.

Find the right HSM machine by model

HSM Machines stocks HSM-brand equipment only, so every model on the site decodes as described here. Browse the SECURIO professional office range for B, C, AF and P models across the DIN 66399 levels, the shredstar range for desk-side and small-office units, or the Powerline industrial range. If you know the security level but not the model, work from the level first — the chassis follows. See also our SECURIO model guide.