Privacy Policy

1. Privacy at a Glance

General Information

The following notes provide a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit this website. Personal data is any data by which you can be personally identified. For detailed information on the subject of data protection, please refer to our Privacy Policy listed below this text.

Data Collection on this Website

Who is responsible for data collection on this website?
The data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. You can find their contact details in the “Information on the Controller” section of this Privacy Policy.

How do we collect your data?

Your data is collected on the one hand by you communicating it to us. This can be, for example, data that you enter into a contact form.
Other data is collected automatically or after your consent when you visit the website by our IT systems. This is primarily technical data (e.g., internet browser, operating system, or time of the page view). This data is collected automatically as soon as you enter this website.

What do we use your data for?
Part of the data is collected to ensure the error-free provision of the website. Other data may be used to analyze your user behavior. If contracts can be concluded or initiated via the website, the transmitted data will also be processed for contract offers, orders, or other order inquiries.

What rights do you have regarding your data?
You have the right at any time to receive information free of charge about the origin, recipient, and purpose of your stored personal data. You also have a right to demand the correction or deletion of this data. If you have given your consent to data processing, you can revoke this consent at any time for the future. You also have the right, under certain circumstances, to demand the restriction of the processing of your personal data. Furthermore, you have a right of appeal to the competent supervisory authority.

For this purpose, as well as for further questions on the subject of data protection, you can contact us at any time.

Analysis Tools and Third-Party Tools

When visiting this website, your surfing behavior may be statistically evaluated. This happens primarily with so-called analysis programs. Detailed information on these analysis programs can be found in the following Privacy Policy.

2. Hosting

We host the content of our website with the following provider:

External Hosting (Cloudflare)

This website is provided and hosted via the infrastructure of Cloudflare. The personal data collected on this website is stored on the servers of the hoster. This may include, but is not limited to, IP addresses, contact requests, meta and communication data, contractual data, contact details, names, website access, and other data generated via a website.

External hosting is carried out for the purpose of fulfilling contracts with our potential and existing customers (Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. b GDPR) and in the interest of a secure, fast, and efficient provision of our online offer by a professional provider (Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f GDPR).

If a corresponding consent was requested, processing takes place exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. a GDPR and § 25 Abs. 1 TDDDG, insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information in the user’s terminal device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TDDDG. The consent can be revoked at any time.

Our hoster will only process your data to the extent necessary to fulfill its performance obligations and will follow our instructions regarding this data.

We use the following hoster:
Cloudflare, Inc.
101 Townsend St.
San Francisco, CA 94107, USA

Data Processing Agreement

We have entered into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) for the use of the aforementioned service. This is a contract required by data protection law, which ensures that the provider processes the personal data of our website visitors only in accordance with our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

3. General Notes and Mandatory Information

The operators of these pages take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations and this Privacy Policy.

When you use this website, various personal data are collected. Personal data is data by which you can be personally identified. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect and what we use it for. It also explains how and for what purpose this happens.

We point out that data transmission on the internet (e.g., when communicating by email) can have security gaps. Absolute protection of data against access by third parties is not possible.

Information on the Controller

The controller responsible for data processing on this website is:

Udo Köhler
Leimgrubenstr. 12
72820 Sonnenbühl
Germany

Phone: +49 7128 9209775
Email: [email protected]

The controller is the natural or legal person who alone or jointly with others decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data (e.g., names, email addresses, etc.).

Storage Duration

Unless a more specific storage period has been specified within this Privacy Policy, your personal data will remain with us until the purpose for the data processing no longer applies. If you assert a legitimate request for deletion or revoke your consent to data processing, your data will be deleted unless we have other legally permissible reasons for storing your personal data (e.g., tax or commercial retention periods); in the latter case, the deletion takes place after these reasons no longer apply.

General Notes on the Legal Basis for Data Processing on this Website

If you have consented to data processing, we process your personal data on the basis of Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. a GDPR or Art. 9 Abs. 2 lit. a GDPR if special categories of data according to Art. 9 Abs. 1 GDPR are processed. In the case of explicit consent to the transfer of personal data to third countries, data processing is also based on Art. 49 Abs. 1 lit. a GDPR.

If you have consented to the storage of cookies or to access to information in your terminal device (e.g., via device fingerprinting), data processing is additionally based on § 25 Abs. 1 TDDDG. The consent can be revoked at any time. If your data is required for contract fulfillment or to carry out pre-contractual measures, we process your data on the basis of Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. b GDPR. Furthermore, we process your data if this is necessary to fulfill a legal obligation on the basis of Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. c GDPR. Data processing may also be carried out on the basis of our legitimate interest pursuant to Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f GDPR. Information about the respective applicable legal bases in individual cases is provided in the following paragraphs of this Privacy Policy.

Recipients of Personal Data

Within the scope of our business activities, we cooperate with various external bodies. In some cases, a transfer of personal data to these external bodies is also required. We only pass on personal data to external bodies if this is necessary within the scope of contract fulfillment, if we are legally obliged to do so (e.g., passing on data to tax authorities), if we have a legitimate interest pursuant to Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f GDPR in passing it on, or if another legal basis permits the data transfer. When using processors, we only pass on personal data of our customers on the basis of a valid contract for data processing. In the case of joint processing, a joint controller agreement is concluded.

Many data processing operations are only possible with your express consent. You can revoke consent you have already given at any time. The legality of the data processing carried out until the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

IF THE DATA PROCESSING IS BASED ON ART. 6 ABS. 1 LIT. E OR F GDPR, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AT ANY TIME, FOR REASONS ARISING FROM YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION, TO OBJECT TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA; THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING BASED ON THESE PROVISIONS. THE RESPECTIVE LEGAL BASIS ON WHICH PROCESSING IS BASED CAN BE FOUND IN THIS PRIVACY POLICY. IF YOU OBJECT, WE WILL NO LONGER PROCESS YOUR CONCERNED PERSONAL DATA UNLESS WE CAN PROVE COMPELLING LEGITIMATE GROUNDS FOR THE PROCESSING WHICH OUTWEIGH YOUR INTERESTS, RIGHTS, AND FREEDOMS, OR THE PROCESSING SERVES THE ASSERTION, EXERCISE, OR DEFENSE OF LEGAL CLAIMS (OBJECTION PURSUANT TO ART. 21 ABS. 1 GDPR).

IF YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS PROCESSED FOR THE PURPOSE OF DIRECT MARKETING, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AT ANY TIME TO THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA CONCERNING YOU FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUCH MARKETING; THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING INSOFAR AS IT IS CONNECTED WITH SUCH DIRECT MARKETING. IF YOU OBJECT, YOUR PERSONAL DATA WILL SUBSEQUENTLY NO LONGER BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF DIRECT MARKETING (OBJECTION PURSUANT TO ART. 21 ABS. 2 GDPR).

Right of Appeal to the Competent Supervisory Authority

In the event of violations of the GDPR, data subjects have a right of appeal to a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of their habitual residence, their place of work, or the place of the alleged violation. The right of appeal is without prejudice to other administrative or judicial remedies.

Right to Data Portability

You have the right to have data that we process automatically on the basis of your consent or in fulfillment of a contract handed over to you or to a third party in a standard, machine-readable format. If you demand the direct transfer of the data to another controller, this will only be done insofar as it is technically feasible.

Information, Rectification, and Deletion

Within the scope of the applicable legal provisions, you have the right at any time to free information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipient, and the purpose of the data processing and, if applicable, a right to rectification or deletion of this data. For this purpose, as well as for further questions on the subject of personal data, you can contact us at any time.

Right to Restriction of Processing

You have the right to demand the restriction of the processing of your personal data. For this purpose, you can contact us at any time. The right to restriction of 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. For the duration of the audit, you have the right to demand the restriction of the processing of your personal data.
If the processing of your personal data was/is unlawful, you can demand the restriction of data processing instead of deletion.
If we no longer need your personal data, but you need it to exercise, defend, or assert legal claims, you have the right to demand the restriction of the processing of your personal data instead of deletion.
If you have lodged an objection pursuant to Art. 21 Abs. 1 GDPR, a balance must be struck between your interests and ours. As long as it is not yet clear whose interests prevail, you have the right to demand the restriction of the processing of your personal data.

If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, this data – apart from its storage – may only be processed with your consent or for the assertion, exercise, or defense of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person or for reasons of an important public interest of the European Union or a Member State.

SSL or TLS Encryption

This site uses SSL or TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as orders or inquiries that you send to us as the site operator. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from “http://” to “https://” and by the lock symbol in your browser line.

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

Objection to Promotional Emails

The use of contact data published within the scope of the imprint obligation for sending non-expressly requested advertising and information materials is hereby contradicted. The operators of the pages expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of the unsolicited sending of advertising information, such as spam emails.

4. Data Collection on this Website

Cookies

Our internet pages use so-called “cookies”. Cookies are small data packages and do not cause any damage to your terminal device. They are stored either temporarily for the duration of a session (session cookies) or permanently (permanent cookies) on your terminal device. Session cookies are automatically deleted after your visit. Permanent cookies remain stored on your terminal device until you delete them yourself or an automatic deletion is carried out by your web browser.

Cookies can originate from us (first-party cookies) or from third-party companies (so-called third-party cookies). Third-party cookies enable the integration of certain services from third-party companies within web pages (e.g., cookies for processing payment services).

Cookies have various functions. Numerous cookies are technically necessary, as certain website functions would not work without them (e.g., the shopping cart function or the display of videos). Other cookies can be used to evaluate user behavior or for advertising purposes.

Cookies that are required to carry out the electronic communication process, to provide certain functions you desire (e.g., for the shopping cart function), or to optimize the website (e.g., cookies for measuring the web audience) (necessary cookies) are stored on the basis of Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f GDPR, unless another legal basis is specified. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing necessary cookies for the technically error-free and optimized provision of its services.

If consent to the storage of cookies and comparable recognition technologies was requested, processing takes place exclusively on the basis of this consent (Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. a GDPR and § 25 Abs. 1 TDDDG); the consent can be revoked at any time.

You can set your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies and only allow cookies in individual cases, exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or generally, and activate the automatic deletion of cookies when closing the browser. If cookies are deactivated, the functionality of this website may be restricted.

Contact Form

If you send us inquiries via the contact form, your details from the inquiry form, including the contact details you provided there, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing the inquiry and in the event of follow-up questions. We do not pass on this data without your consent.

The processing of this data is based on Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. b GDPR if your inquiry is related to the fulfillment of a contract or is necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective processing of inquiries addressed to us (Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. a GDPR) if this was requested; the consent can be revoked at any time.

The data you enter into the contact form will remain with us until you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to storage, or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g., after processing your inquiry has been completed). Mandatory statutory provisions – in particular retention periods – remain unaffected.

Inquiry by Email, Phone, or Fax

If you contact us by email, phone, or fax, your inquiry, including all resulting personal data (name, inquiry), will be stored and processed by us for the purpose of processing your request. We do not pass on this data without your consent.

The data you send to us via contact requests will remain with us until you request us to delete it, revoke your consent to storage, or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g., after your request has been fully processed). Mandatory statutory provisions – in particular statutory retention periods – remain unaffected.

If you would like to receive the newsletter offered on the website, we require an email address from you as well as information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the specified email address and agree to receive the newsletter. Further data is either not collected or only collected on a voluntary basis. We use this data exclusively for sending the requested information and do not pass it on to third parties.

The processing of the data entered into the newsletter registration form takes place exclusively on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. a GDPR). You can revoke the consent given for the storage of the data, the email address, and their use for sending the newsletter at any time, for example via the “Unsubscribe” link in the newsletter. The legality of the data processing operations already carried out remains unaffected by the revocation.

The data you deposit with us for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter will be stored by us or the newsletter service provider until you unsubscribe from the newsletter and will be deleted from the newsletter distribution list after unsubscribing from the newsletter or after the purpose ceases to apply. We reserve the right to delete or block email addresses from our newsletter distribution list at our own discretion within the scope of our legitimate interest pursuant to Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f GDPR. Data stored by us for other purposes remains unaffected by this.

After you unsubscribe from the newsletter distribution list, your email address may be stored in a blacklist by us or the newsletter service provider if this is necessary to prevent future mailings. The data from the blacklist will only be used for this purpose and will not be merged with other data. This serves both your interest and our interest in complying with legal requirements when sending newsletters (legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f GDPR). Storage in the blacklist is not limited in time. You can object to the storage if your interests outweigh our legitimate interest.

6. Plugins and Tools

HubSpot

We use the HubSpot service for our online marketing activities, contact management, external hosting, and form management on this website. The provider is HubSpot, Inc., 25 First Street, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA. HubSpot is an integrated software solution that we use to cover various aspects of our online marketing. This includes, among others: CRM (Customer Relationship Management), form and contact inquiries, email marketing, and content hosting.

Among other things, IP addresses, geographical locations, browser type, length of visit, and pages viewed are recorded. Collection is based on Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interest in efficient customer management and optimized website delivery) or – if a corresponding consent was requested – on the basis of Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. a GDPR and § 25 Abs. 1 TDDDG (e.g., when using cookies for analysis). Consent can be revoked at any time.

HubSpot, Inc. is certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF). In addition, we have concluded a standard Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with HubSpot, which contractually guarantees compliance with European data protection standards.

Google Analytics

This website uses functions of the web analysis service Google Analytics. The provider is Google Ireland Limited (“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Google Analytics uses so-called “cookies”. These are text files that are stored on your end device and enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there.

The use of this analysis tool takes place exclusively on the basis of your express consent pursuant to Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. a GDPR and § 25 Abs. 1 TDDDG. The consent can be revoked at any time for the future.

We have activated the IP anonymization function on this website. As a result, your IP address will be shortened by Google within Member States of the European Union or in other contracting states to the Agreement on the European Economic Area before being transmitted to the USA. The US parent company Google LLC is certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF), which ensures an adequate level of data protection. We have also concluded a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with Google.

Cloudflare

Our website uses services from Cloudflare, Inc., 101 Townsend St., San Francisco, CA 94107, USA, to improve the security and loading speed of our website. Cloudflare is a Content Delivery Network (CDN) and security service provider that analyzes and filters data traffic between visitors to our website and our servers to fend off attacks and optimize performance.

The following personal data are processed:

IP address
Browser type and version
Operating system
Referrer URL
Date and time of access
Requested website
Requesting provider

The processing of this data is based on Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f GDPR, based on our legitimate interest in a secure and efficient provision of our website.

Cloudflare generally stores personal data for less than 24 hours. In certain cases, especially with activated log services for enterprise customers, the storage duration can be up to 7 days.

Cloudflare is certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and undertakes to comply with European data protection standards. In addition, we have concluded a Data Processing Agreement with Cloudflare pursuant to Art. 28 GDPR, which ensures that Cloudflare processes personal data only in accordance with our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

YouTube with Enhanced Data Protection

This website integrates videos from the YouTube website. The operator of the website is Google Ireland Limited (“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

When you visit one of these websites on which YouTube is integrated, a connection to the YouTube servers is established. The YouTube server is informed which of our pages you have visited. If you are logged into your YouTube account, you enable YouTube to assign your surfing behavior directly to your personal profile. You can prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account.

We use YouTube in enhanced data protection mode. According to YouTube, videos played in enhanced data protection mode are not used to personalize surfing on YouTube. Advertisements displayed in enhanced data protection mode are also not personalized. No cookies are set in enhanced data protection mode. Instead, however, so-called local storage elements are stored in the user’s browser, which contain personal data similar to cookies and can be used for recognition.

After activating a YouTube video, further data processing operations may be triggered over which we have no influence.

The use of YouTube is in the interest of an appealing presentation of our online offers. This constitutes a legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f GDPR. If a corresponding consent was requested, processing takes place exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. a GDPR and § 25 Abs. 1 TDDDG, insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information in the user’s terminal device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TDDDG. The consent can be revoked at any time.

The parent company holds a certification under the “EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). Further information can be obtained from the provider under the following link: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/5780.

Google reCAPTCHA

We use “Google reCAPTCHA” (hereinafter “reCAPTCHA”) on this website. The provider is Google Ireland Limited (“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

The purpose of reCAPTCHA is to check whether the data entry on this website (e.g., in a contact form) is carried out by a human or by an automated program. For this purpose, reCAPTCHA analyzes the behavior of the website visitor based on various characteristics. This analysis begins automatically as soon as the website visitor enters the website. For the analysis, reCAPTCHA evaluates various information (e.g., IP address, length of stay of the website visitor on the website, or mouse movements made by the user). The data collected during the analysis is forwarded to Google.

The reCAPTCHA analyses run entirely in the background. Website visitors are not informed that an analysis is taking place.

The storage and analysis of the data are based on Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in protecting its web offerings from abusive automated spying and from SPAM. If a corresponding consent was requested, processing takes place exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. a GDPR and § 25 Abs. 1 TDDDG, insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information in the user’s terminal device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TDDDG. The consent can be revoked at any time.