Privacy policy

1. Our Privacy Policy at a glance

General information

The following information provides a simple overview of what happens with your personal data when you visit our website. Personal data is considered to be any information by which you could personally be identified. Detailed information on the topic of data protection can be found in our Privacy Policy, below this text.

In addition, you will find the information requirements according to Art. 13 + 14 GDPR as a PDF file below:
For customers and suppliers

Data collection on our website

Who is responsible for data collection on this website?
Data is processed on this website by the website operator. You can find its contact details in the site notice and below under "Notes on the Data Controller".

How do we collect your data?
Some data of yours will be collected when you communicate it to us. This could be, for example, data you enter in a contact form.

Other data are collected automatically by our IT systems when you visit our website. This data is primarily technical data, such as the browser and operating system you are using, or the time you accessed the page. This data is collected automatically as soon as you visit our website.

What do we use your data for?
Some of the data is collected to ensure proper functioning of our website. Other data can be used to analyse your user behaviour. Yet other data is collected for pre-contractual or contractual measures, for example, via the contact form.

What rights do you have regarding your data?
You have the right to receive information about your stored data, its origin, the recipients of it, and the purpose of its collection free of charge at all times. You also have the right to request that it be corrected, blocked, or deleted. If you would like to exercise these rights, or if you have any further questions regarding data protection, you can contact us at any time using the address provided in our site notice. You also have the right to file a complaint with the competent regulatory authority.

Analytics and third-party tools

When visiting our website, your browsing behaviour may, optionally, be statistically analysed. This is done primarily through the use of cookies and so-called analytics programs. You can object to this analysis or prevent it by not using specific tools. You can find detailed information on this in the Privacy Policy below.

2. Hosting

External hosting

This website is hosted by an external service provider (hosting provider). Personal data collected on this website is stored on the servers of the hosting provider. This information is primarily IP addresses, contact requests, meta and communication data, contract data, contact details, names, instances of website access, and other data generated via a website.

The hosting provider is used to fulfil the contract with our potential and existing customers (Art. 6  (1) b GDPR) and for the provision of a safe, fast and efficient online offering by a professional provider (Art. 6  (1) f GDPR).

The hosting provider automatically collects and stores information in so-called "server log files", which your browser automatically transmits to us. This includes:

• Browser type and browser version
• The operating system used
• The referrer URL
• The host name of the accessing computer
• The time of the server request
• The IP address

This data will not be combined with data from other sources.

Our hosting provider will only process your data insofar as this is required to fulfil our service obligations and to comply with our instructions regarding this data.

We use the following hosting provider:

Hetzner Online GmbH
Industriestr. 25
91710 Berlin

Phone: +49 (0) 9831 505-0
Email: info@hetzner.com

HRB: 6089, Registergericht Ansbach
USt. IDNr: DE812871812
Vertreten durch die Geschäftsführer/innen: Martin Hetzner, Stephan Konvickova, Günther Müller

Conclusion of a contract for commissioned data processing
In order to guarantee that data is processed in line with data protection requirements, we have concluded a data processing agreement with our hosting provider.

3. General and mandatory information

Data protection
The operators of this website take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data as confidential and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations as well as this Privacy Policy.

If you use this website, various pieces of personal data will be collected. Personal information includes any data with which you could be personally identified. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect and what we use it for. It also explains how and for what purpose this is done.

We would like to point out that the transmission of data over the Internet (e.g., via email communication) can be subject to security vulnerabilities. It is not possible to complete protect data against access by third parties.

Notice concerning the Data Controller
The Data Controller responsible for processing the data on this website is:

Schäfer Trennwandsysteme GmbH
Industriepark 37
56593 Horhausen

Phone: +49 (0) 2687 9151-0
Email: info@schaefer-tws.de

The Data Controller is a natural or legal person who decides on the purposes and methods of processing personal data (e.g., names, email addresses, etc.) either alone or together with others.

Data protection officer
We have appointed an external Data Protection Officer for our company.

Alexander Schulz
Karst IT GmbH
Am Stadtgraben 3
56626 Andernach

Phone: +49 (0) 2632 9459-0
Email: a.schulz@karst-it.de

Retention period
Unless a specific retention period is specified in this Privacy Policy, your personal data will remain with us until the purpose for processing the data  no longer applies. If you make a legitimate request to have your data deleted, or revoke your consent to data processing, your data will be deleted unless we have any other legally permissible reasons for storing your personal data (e.g., retention periods under tax law or commercial law); in the latter case, your data will be deleted after these reasons cease to apply.

Information on data transfer to the USA
Among others, our website includes tools from companies based in the USA. When these tools are active, your personal data may be passed on to the US servers of the respective companies. We would like to point out that the USA is not a safe third country within the meaning of EU data protection law. US companies are obliged to surrender personal data to security authorities without you as the data subject being able to take legal action against this. It cannot therefore be ruled out that US authorities (e.g., secret services) will process, evaluate and permanently store your data on US servers for monitoring purposes. We have no influence on these processing activities.

Revoking your consent to the processing of your data
Many data processing operations are only possible with your express consent. You may revoke your consent at any time. To do so, it is sufficient to send us an informal message by email. The legality of the data processing performed prior to the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

Right to file complaints with the regulatory authority.
If there has been a breach of data protection legislation, the data subject may file a complaint with the competent regulatory authority. The competent regulatory authority for matters related to data protection legislation is the state commissioner for data protection of the federal state in which our company is headquartered. The supervisory authority responsible for us is:

The State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information of Rhineland-Palatinate
Post box 30 40
55020 Mainz
Hintere Bleiche 34
55116 Mainz

Phone: 061 31/208-24 49
Fax: 061 31/208-24 97
Email: poststelle@datenschutz.rlp.de

Right to data portability
You have the right to have data which we process on the basis of your consent or in fulfilment of a contract automatically delivered to yourself or to a third party in a standard, machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of data to another Data Controller, this shall only occur to the extent that it is technically feasible.

SSL and TLS encryption
This site uses SSL or TLS encryption for security reasons and to provide protection when transmitting confidential content, such as the enquiries you send to us as the site operator. You can recognise an encrypted connection by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from "http://" to "https://", and the lock symbol in your browser bar.

If SSL or TLS encryption is enabled, the data you transfer to us cannot be read by third parties.

Information, blocking and deletion
Under the law, you have the right to be provided with information free of charge, at any time, about any of your personal data that is stored, as well as its origin, the recipient, and the purpose for which it has been processed. You also have the right to have this data corrected, blocked or deleted. If you would like to exercise these rights, or if you have any further questions regarding personal data, you can contact us at any time using the address provided in our site notice.

Objecting to promotional emails
We hereby expressly prohibit the use of contact data published in the site notice that is required for the website for sending us promotional and informational material that is not expressly requested. The website operator expressly reserves the right to take legal action for any unsolicited marketing material that is sent, such as spam emails.

Right to restriction of processing
You have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted. You can contact us at any time at the address stated in our site notice. The right to restrict processing exists in the following cases:

• If you dispute the accuracy of your personal data stored with us, we usually need time to verify this. During the verification period, you have the right to demand that the processing of your personal data be restricted.
• If the processing of your personal data has taken/is taking place unlawfully, you can demand the restriction of data processing instead of data deletion.
• If we no longer require your personal data but you need it in order to exercise, defend or assert legal claims, you have the right to request that instead of the data being deleted, the processing of your personal data be restricted.
• If you have filed an objection pursuant to Art. 21 (1) GDPR, your interests and our interests must be weighed. So long as it has not been ascertained whose interests prevail, you have the right to demand that the processing of your personal data be restricted.

Where processing of your personal data has been restricted, such data – apart from being stored – may only be processed with your consent, or for the purpose of asserting, exercising or defending legal claims, or protecting the rights of another natural or legal person, or on the grounds of important public interest in the European Union or a member state.

4. Data collection on our website

Cookies

These are stored on your device either temporarily for the duration of a session ("session cookies") or permanently ("permanent cookies"). Session cookies are automatically deleted after your visit. Permanent cookies remain stored on your end device until you yourself delete them or your web browser automatically deletes them. When permanent cookies are used, your consent is obtained in advance via a so-called consent management tool. Here, you can selectively decide which cookies and functions you will accept.

Cookies have different functions. Numerous cookies are technically necessary because certain website functions would not work without them (e.g., the shopping basket function, or the display of videos). Other cookies are used to evaluate user behaviour or to display advertising.

You can configure your browser to inform you about the use of cookies as well as to allow cookies in individual cases, to block cookies from being accepted in specific cases or to reject them in general, and you can also set it so that cookies are automatically deleted when you close your browser. Disabling cookies may limit your ability to use some of the features of this website.

Cookies which are necessary to allow electronic communications or to provide certain functions you wish to use (such as the shopping basket) are stored on the basis of Art. 6 (1) f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing cookies for the purposes of ensuring the technically error-free and optimised delivery of its services. If other cookies are also stored (such as those used to analyse your surfing behaviour), they will be treated separately in this Privacy Policy.

Contact form

If you send us queries via the contact form, we will store the data entered on the form, including the contact details you provide, in order to answer your query and for any follow-up questions. We will not share this data without your permission.

We will therefore only process any data you enter onto the contact form with your consent (Art. 6 (1) a GDPR). You may revoke your consent at any time. To do so, it is sufficient to send us an informal message by email. The legality of the data processing performed prior to the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

We will retain the data you provide on the contact form until such time as you request its deletion or revoke your consent to its storage, or the purpose for its storage no longer applies (e.g., your request has been processed in full). Any mandatory statutory provisions – especially those regarding mandatory data retention periods – remain unaffected.

Our live chat support

We use a live chat of Userlike UG (haftungsbeschränkt), Probsteigasse 44-46, 50670 Cologne, Germany). You can use the live chat as a contact form to chat with our staff in near real time.

At the start of the chat, personal data is collected.

• Date and time of the call
• Browser type/version
• IP address
• Operating system used
• URL of the previously visited website
• Amount of data sent
• First name, last name
• Email address

The legal basis for the processing is your consent according to Art. 6 Para. 1 a) GDPR, if the processing leads to a legal transaction, it is Art. 6 Para. 1 b) GDPR

Depending on the course of the conversation with our employees, further personal data may arise in the chat, which are entered by you. The type of data depends strongly on your request or the problem you describe to us.

All our employees have been and will be trained on the subject of data protection and on the safe and confidential handling of customer data. All our employees are bound to confidentiality and have accordingly signed an addendum to the obligation to maintain confidentiality and to observe data protection in their employee contracts.

When you visit our website, the chat widget is loaded as a JavaScript file from AWS Cloudfront. The chat widget technically represents the source code that is executed on your computer and enables the chat.

The data is not saved. After the end of the chat, the data will be deleted immediately. If further contact with you is desired after the chat (e.g. for an offer), your data will be processed in accordance with the information obligations according to Art. 13 + 14 GDPR.

5. Analysis tools and advertising

Google Tag Manager

We use the Google Tag Manager. The provider is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland

The Google Tag Manager is a tool that allows us to integrate tracking or statistical tools and other technologies on our website. The Google Tag Manager itself does not create any user profiles, does not store cookies, and does not carry out any independent analyses. It only manages and runs the tools integrated via it. However, the Google Tag Manager does collect your IP address, which may also be transferred to Google’s parent company in the United States.

The Google Tag Manager is used on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in the quick and uncomplicated integration and administration of various tools on his website. If appropriate consent has been obtained, the processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25 (1) TDDDG, insofar the consent includes the storage of cookies or the access to information in the user’s end device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TDDDG. This consent can be revoked at any time.

The company is certified in accordance with the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the US, which is intended to ensure compliance with European data protection standards for data processing in the US. Every company certified under the DPF is obliged to comply with these data protection standards. For more information, please contact the provider under the following link: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/5780.

Google Analytics

This website uses functions of the web analytics service Google Analytics. The provider is Google Ireland Limited ("Google"), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

Google Analytics enables the website operator to analyse the behaviour of the visitors to its website. In the process, the website operator receives various usage data, such as page views, length of stay, operating systems used and origin of the user. This data may be summarised by Google in a profile that is assigned to the user in question, or their device.

Google Analytics uses technologies that enable the user to be recognised for the purpose of analysing user behaviour (e.g., cookies or device fingerprinting). The information collected by Google about the use of this website is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there.

This analysis tool can only be used with your consent and therefore on the basis of Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR; you may revoke your consent at any time.
The data transfer to the USA is based on the standard contractual clauses of the EU Commission. Details can be found here:
https://privacy.google.com/businesses/controllerterms/mccs/

IP anonymisation
We have activated the IP anonymisation feature on this website. This means that your IP address will be truncated by Google within Member States of the European Union or in other countries subject to the Agreement on the European Economic Area prior to its transmission to the United States. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transferred to a Google server in the USA and truncated there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to analyse your use of the website, compile reports regarding website activity, and provide other services to the website operator related to use of the website and of the Internet. The IP address transmitted by your browser in the framework of Google Analytics will not be combined with other data from Google.

Browser Plugin
You can prevent Google from collecting and processing your data by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available at the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de

For more information about how Google Analytics handles user data, please refer to Google's Privacy Policy: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=de

Objection to data collection
ou may prevent the collection of your data by Google Analytics by clicking on the following link. An opt-out cookie will be set that prevents your data from being collected during future visits to this site: Disable Google Analytics

For more information about how Google Analytics handles user data, please refer to Google's Privacy Policy: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=de

Commissioned data processing
We have entered into a contract with Google to outsource our data processing and have fully implemented the strict requirements of the German data protection authorities when using Google Analytics.

Google Analytics Demographics and Interests data
This website uses Google Analytics' "Demographics and Interests" data. This allows reports to be generated containing statements about the age, gender and interests of site visitors. This data comes from interest-based advertising from Google as well as third-party visitor data. This collected data cannot be attributed to any specific individual person. You can disable this feature at any time by adjusting the advertising settings in your Google account or you can generally forbid the collection of your data by Google Analytics as described in the "Objecting to data collection" section.

Web analysis by Matomo (formerly PIWIK)

We use the open source software tool Matomo (formerly PIWIK) on our website to analyze the surfing behavior of our users. This is done on the basis of device fingerprinting technology. In contrast to classic tracking via cookies, no permanent cookie is stored on your terminal device. The software only sets an anonymous, temporary session cookie, which does not collect any personal data. This session cookie is automatically deleted each time you return to the website. The use of this analysis tool is based on our legitimate interest and thus on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR.

If individual pages of our website are called up, the following data is stored:

• Two bytes of the IP address of the user's calling system
• The website called up
• The website from which the user accessed the accessed website (referrer)
• The subpages accessed from the accessed website
• The time spent on the website
• The frequency with which the website is accessed

The software runs exclusively on the servers of our website. A storage of the data of the users only takes place there. The data is not passed on to third parties.

Opt-Out
We offer our users the option of opting out of the analysis process on our website. To do this, you must follow the corresponding link. In this way, an opt-out cookie is set on your system, which signals to our system not to store the user's data. If the user deletes the corresponding cookie from their own system in the meantime, they must set the opt-out cookie again.

For more information on the privacy settings of the Matomo software, please see the following link: https://matomo.org/docs/privacy/