Privacy Policy

1. Privacy at a Glance

General Information

The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit this website. Personal data refers to any data that can be used to personally identify you. For detailed information on data protection, please refer to our Privacy Policy, which is listed below this text.

Data Collection on This Website

Who is responsible for data collection on this website?

Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. You can find the operator’s contact information in the “Information on the Data Controller” section of this Privacy Policy.

How do we collect your data?

Your data is collected, in part, when you provide it to us. This may include, for example, data that you enter into a contact form.

Other data is collected by our IT systems automatically or with your consent when you visit the website. This primarily consists of technical data (e.g., internet browser, operating system, or the time the page was accessed). This data is collected automatically as soon as you access this website.

What do we use your data for?

Some of the data is collected to ensure that the website functions properly. Other data may be used to analyze your user behavior. If contracts can be concluded or initiated through the website, the data provided 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, free of charge, information about the source, recipients, and purpose of your stored personal data. You also have the right to request the correction or deletion of this data. If you have given consent to data processing, you may revoke that consent at any time with future effect. In addition, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances. Furthermore, you have the right to file a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

Please feel free to contact us at any time regarding this matter or any other questions you may have about data protection.

Analytics Tools and Third-Party Tools

When you visit this website, your browsing behavior may be analyzed for statistical purposes. This is primarily done using so-called analytics tools.

Detailed information about these analytics programs can be found in the following privacy policy.

2. Hosting

We host our website’s content with the following provider:

Strato

The provider is Strato AG, Otto-Ostrowski-Straße 7, 10249 Berlin (hereinafter “Strato”). When you visit our website, Strato collects various log files, including your IP addresses.

For more information, please refer to Strato’s Privacy Policy: https://www.strato.de/datenschutz/.

The use of Strato is based on Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in ensuring that our website is displayed as reliably as possible. If consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR and Section 25(1) of the TDDDG, to the extent that the consent covers the storage of cookies or access to information on the user’s device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TDDDG. Consent may be revoked at any time.

Order Processing

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

3. General Information and Mandatory Disclosures

Privacy Policy

The operators of this website take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with applicable data protection laws and this Privacy Policy.

When you use this website, various types of personal data are collected. Personal data is information that can be used to identify you personally. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect and how we use it. It also explains how and for what purpose this is done.

Please note that data transmission over the Internet (e.g., when communicating via email) may be subject to security vulnerabilities. It is not possible to completely protect data from access by third parties.

Note on the Data Controller

The entity responsible for data processing on this website is:

BTX Brandschutztechnik GmbH
In den Gärten 18
57610 Altenkirchen

Phone: +49 171 94 00 375
Email: info@btx-ak.de

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

Retention period

Unless a more specific retention period is stated in this Privacy Policy, we will retain your personal data until the purpose for which it was collected no longer applies. If you submit a valid request for deletion or revoke your consent to data processing, your data will be deleted unless we have other legally permissible grounds for storing your personal data (e.g., retention periods under tax or commercial law); in the latter case, the data will be deleted once these grounds no longer apply.

General Information on the Legal Basis for Data Processing on This Website

If you have consented to the processing of your data, we process your personal data on the basis of Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR or Article 9(2)(a) of the GDPR, provided that special categories of data as defined in Article 9(1) of the GDPR are processed. In the event of explicit consent to the transfer of personal data to third countries, data processing is also carried out on the basis of Article 49(1)(a) of the GDPR. If you have consented to the storage of cookies or to access to information on your device (e.g., via device fingerprinting), data processing is additionally based on Section 25(1) of the German Telemedia Act (TDDDG). You may revoke your consent at any time. If your data is necessary for the performance of a contract or for the implementation of pre-contractual measures, we process your data on the basis of Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR. Furthermore, we process your data to the extent that it is necessary to comply with a legal obligation pursuant to Article 6(1)(c) of the GDPR. Data processing may also be carried out on the basis of our legitimate interest pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. The applicable legal bases in each individual case are described in the following sections of this Privacy Policy.

Recipients of personal data

As part of our business operations, we collaborate with various external parties. In some cases, this requires the transfer of personal data to these external parties. We only disclose personal data to external parties if it is necessary for the performance of a contract, if we are legally required to do so (e.g., disclosure of data to tax authorities), if we have a legitimate interest in the disclosure pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR, or if another legal basis permits the disclosure of data. When using data processors, we only disclose our customers’ personal data on the basis of a valid data processing agreement. In the case of joint processing, a joint processing agreement is concluded.

Withdrawal of Your Consent to Data Processing

Many data processing operations are only possible with your explicit consent. You may withdraw any consent you have already given at any time. The lawfulness of the data processing carried out prior to the withdrawal remains unaffected by the withdrawal.

Right to object to data collection in specific cases and to direct marketing (Art. 21 GDPR)

IF DATA PROCESSING IS BASED ON ART. 6, PAR. 1, SUBPAR. E OR F OF THE GDPR, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AT ANY TIME, FOR REASONS RELATED TO YOUR SPECIFIC SITUATION, TO OBJECT TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA; THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING BASED ON THESE PROVISIONS. PLEASE REFER TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY FOR THE SPECIFIC LEGAL BASIS ON WHICH PROCESSING IS BASED. IF YOU OBJECT, WE WILL NO LONGER PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA, UNLESS WE CAN DEMONSTRATE COMPELLING LEGITIMATE GROUNDS FOR THE PROCESSING THAT OUTWEIGH YOUR INTERESTS, RIGHTS, AND FREEDOMS, OR THE PROCESSING IS NECESSARY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT, EXERCISE, OR DEFENSE OF LEGAL CLAIMS (OBJECTION PURSUANT TO ART. 21(1) OF THE GDPR).

IF YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS BEING PROCESSED FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AT ANY TIME TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUCH MARKETING; THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS RELATED TO SUCH DIRECT MARKETING. IF YOU OBJECT, YOUR PERSONAL DATA WILL NO LONGER BE USED FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES (OBJECTION PURSUANT TO ART. 21(2) OF THE GDPR).

Right to File a Complaint with the Competent Regulatory Authority

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

Right to Data Portability

You have the right to have data that we process automatically—based on your consent or in fulfillment of a contract—provided to you or to a third party in a commonly used, machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of the data to another data controller, this will be done only to the extent that it is technically feasible.

Access, Correction, and Deletion

In accordance with applicable legal provisions, you have the right at any time to receive, free of charge, information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipients, and the purpose of data processing, as well as the right to have this data corrected or deleted, if applicable. You may contact us at any time regarding this matter or with any other questions about personal data.

Right to Restriction of Processing

You have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted. You may contact us at any time to do so. The right to restriction of processing applies in the following cases:

If you dispute the accuracy of your personal data stored by us, we generally need time to verify this. For the duration of the verification process, you have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted.
If the processing of your personal data was or is unlawful, you may request that the processing be restricted instead of having the data erased.
If we no longer need your personal data, but you need it to exercise, defend, or assert legal claims, you have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted instead of erased.
If you have filed an objection under Article 21(1) of the GDPR, a balancing of your interests against ours must be conducted. Until it is determined whose interests prevail, you have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted.

If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, such data—other than for storage purposes—may be processed only with your consent or for the purpose of asserting, exercise, or defense of legal claims; to protect the rights of another natural or legal person; or for reasons of a substantial public interest of the European Union or a Member State.

SSL or TLS encryption

For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential information—such as orders or inquiries you send to us as the site operator—this site uses SSL or TLS encryption. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the browser’s address bar changes from “http://” to “https://” and by the padlock icon in your browser’s address bar.

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

Encrypted Payments on This Website

If, after entering into a paid contract, you are required to provide us with your payment information (e.g., account number for direct debit authorization), this information is needed to process the payment.

Payments made using standard payment methods (Visa/MasterCard, direct debit) are processed exclusively via an encrypted SSL or TLS connection. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the browser’s address bar changes from “http://” to “https://” and by the padlock icon in your browser’s address bar.

With encrypted communication, the payment information you send to us cannot be read by third parties.

Objection to Marketing Emails

We hereby object to the use of contact information published in accordance with legal disclosure requirements for the purpose of sending unsolicited advertising and informational materials. The operators of this website expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of the unsolicited transmission of advertising information, such as through spam emails.

4. Data Collection on This Website

Cookies

Our website uses so-called “cookies.” Cookies are small data packets that do not cause any damage to your device. They are stored on your device either temporarily for the duration of a session (session cookies) or permanently (persistent cookies). Session cookies are automatically deleted at the end of your visit. Permanent cookies remain stored on your device until you delete them yourself or your web browser deletes them automatically.

Cookies may be set by us (first-party cookies) or by third-party companies (so-called third-party cookies). Third-party cookies enable the integration of certain third-party services into websites (e.g., cookies used to process payment services).

Cookies serve various purposes. Many cookies are technically necessary, as certain website features would not work without them (e.g., the shopping cart feature or the display of videos). Other cookies may be used to analyze user behavior or for advertising purposes.

Cookies that are required to carry out the electronic communication process, to provide certain functions you have requested (e.g., the shopping cart feature), or to optimize the website (e.g., cookies used to measure website traffic) (necessary cookies), are stored on the basis of Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR, unless another legal basis is specified. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing necessary cookies to ensure the technically error-free and optimized provision of its services. If consent to the storage of cookies and similar recognition technologies has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of this consent (Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR and Section 25(1) of the TDDDG); consent may be revoked at any time.

You can configure your browser to notify you when cookies are set, to allow cookies only on a case-by-case basis, to block cookies in specific cases or generally, and to enable the automatic deletion of cookies when you close your browser. If you disable cookies, the functionality of this website may be limited.

If other cookies and services are used on this website, you can find that information in this Privacy Policy.

Consent with Complianz

Our website uses Complianz’s consent technology to obtain your consent to the storage of certain cookies on your device or to the use of certain technologies, and to document this in compliance with data protection regulations. This technology is provided by Complianz B.V., Kalmarweg 14-5, 9723 JG Groningen, Netherlands (hereinafter “Complianz”).

Complianz is hosted on our servers, so no connection is established with the servers of the Complianz provider. Complianz stores a cookie in your browser to associate the consents you have granted—or their revocation—with your account. The data collected in this manner is stored until you request that we delete it, delete the Complianz cookie yourself, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies. Mandatory legal retention requirements remain unaffected.

Complianz is used to obtain the legally required consent for the use of cookies. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(c) of the GDPR.

Server Log Files

The provider of this website automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser automatically transmits to us. These include:

Browser Type and Browser Version
Operating system used
Referrer URL
Hostname of the connecting computer
Time of the server request
IP address

This data is not combined with data from other sources.

This data is collected pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in ensuring that its website functions properly and is optimized—to this end, server log files must be collected.

Contact Form

If you submit inquiries to us via the contact form, we will store the information you provide in the inquiry form—including the contact information you provide there—for the purpose of processing your inquiry and in case we have follow-up questions. We will not share this information without your consent.

The processing of this data is based on Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, provided that your inquiry is related to the performance of a contract or is necessary for the implementation of precontractual measures. In all other cases, the processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective handling of inquiries directed to us (Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR) or on your consent (Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR), provided that consent was requested; consent may be withdrawn at any time.

The data you enter in the contact form will remain with us until you request that we delete it, revoke your consent to its storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g., after your inquiry has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions—in particular retention periods—remain unaffected.

Inquiries by email, phone, or fax

If you contact us by email, phone, or fax, we will store and process your inquiry, including all personal data contained therein (name, inquiry), for the purpose of handling your request. We will not disclose this data without your consent.

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

Communication via WhatsApp

We use the instant messaging service WhatsApp, among other tools, to communicate with our customers and other third parties. The provider is WhatsApp Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland.

Communication takes place via end-to-end encryption (peer-to-peer), which prevents WhatsApp or any other third parties from accessing the content of the communications. However, WhatsApp does have access to metadata generated during the communication process (e.g., sender, recipient, and time). We also note that, according to its own statements, WhatsApp shares its users’ personal data with its parent company, Meta, which is based in the United States. For more details on data processing, please see WhatsApp’s Privacy Policy at: https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/#privacy-policy.

We use WhatsApp based on our legitimate interest in communicating as quickly and effectively as possible with customers, prospective customers, and other business and contractual partners (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). If consent has been obtained, data processing is based exclusively on that consent; this consent may be revoked at any time with future effect.

The content of communications exchanged between you and us on WhatsApp will remain with us until you request that we delete it, revoke your consent to its storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g., after your request has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions—in particular retention periods—remain unaffected.

The company is certified under the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the United States designed to ensure compliance with European data protection standards when processing data in the United States. Every company certified under the DPF commits to complying with these data protection standards. For more information, please visit the provider’s website at the following link: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/7735.

We use the “WhatsApp Business” version of WhatsApp.

Data transfers to the United States are based on the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. For details, see here: https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/business-data-transfer-addendum.

5. Social Media

Facebook

Elements of the Facebook social network are integrated into this website. The provider of this service is Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland. However, according to Facebook, the data collected is also transferred to the United States and other third countries.

You can find an overview of Facebook’s social media elements here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/?locale=de_DE.

When the social media element is active, a direct connection is established between your device and the Facebook server. This informs Facebook that you have visited this website using your IP address. If you click the Facebook “Like” button while logged into your Facebook account, you can link the content of this website to your Facebook profile. This allows Facebook to associate your visit to this website with your user account. Please note that, as the provider of these pages, we have no knowledge of the content of the data transmitted or how Facebook uses it. For more information, please see Facebook’s Privacy Policy at: https://de-de.facebook.com/privacy/explanation.

Use of this service is based on your consent pursuant to Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR and Section 25(1) of the TDDDG. You may withdraw your consent at any time.

To the extent that personal data is collected on our website using the tool described here and forwarded to Facebook, we and Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland, are jointly responsible for this data processing (Art. 26 GDPR). This joint responsibility is limited exclusively to the collection of the data and its transfer to Facebook. The processing carried out by Facebook after the transfer is not part of the joint responsibility. The obligations incumbent upon us jointly have been set forth in a joint processing agreement. The text of the agreement can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum. According to this agreement, we are responsible for providing privacy notices regarding the use of the Facebook tool and for ensuring the tool is implemented on our website in compliance with data protection laws. Facebook is responsible for the data security of Facebook products. You can exercise your data subject rights (e.g., requests for information) regarding the data processed by Facebook directly with Facebook. If you exercise your data subject rights with us, we are obligated to forward these requests to Facebook.

Data transfers to the United States are based on the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. For details, see here: https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum, https://de-de.facebook.com/help/566994660333381und, https://www.facebook.com/policy.php.

The company is certified under the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the United States designed to ensure compliance with European data protection standards when data is processed in the United States. Every company certified under the DPF commits to complying with these data protection standards. For more information, please visit the provider’s website at the following link: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/participant/4452.

Instagram

This website incorporates features from the Instagram service. These features are provided by Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland.

When the social media feature is active, a direct connection is established between your device and the Instagram server. As a result, Instagram receives information about your visit to this website.

If you are logged into your Instagram account, you can link the content of this website to your Instagram profile by clicking the Instagram button. This allows Instagram to associate your visit to this website with your user account. Please note that, as the provider of this website, we have no knowledge of the content of the data transmitted or how Instagram uses it.

Use of this service is based on your consent pursuant to Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR and Section 25(1) of the TDDDG. You may withdraw your consent at any time.

To the extent that personal data is collected on our website using the tool described here and forwarded to Facebook or Instagram, we and Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland, are jointly responsible for this data processing (Art. 26 GDPR). This joint responsibility is limited exclusively to the collection of the data and its transfer to Facebook or Instagram. The processing carried out by Facebook or Instagram after the transfer is not part of the joint responsibility. The obligations incumbent upon us jointly have been set forth in a joint processing agreement. You can find the text of the agreement at: https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum. According to this agreement, we are responsible for providing privacy notices when using the Facebook or Instagram tools and for ensuring the tools are implemented on our website in compliance with data protection laws. Facebook is responsible for the data security of the Facebook or Instagram products. You can exercise your data subject rights (e.g., requests for information) regarding the data processed by Facebook or Instagram directly with Facebook. If you exercise your data subject rights with us, we are obligated to forward these requests to Facebook.

Data transfers to the United States are based on the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. For details, see: https://www.facebook.com/legal/EU_data_transfer_addendum, https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/, and https://de-de.facebook.com/help/566994660333381.

For more information on this, please see Instagram’s Privacy Policy: https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/.

6. Analytics Tools and Advertising

WP Statistics

This website uses the WP Statistics analytics tool to analyze visitor traffic. The provider is Veronalabs, Tatari 64, 10134, Tallinn, Estonia (https://veronalabs.com).

WP Statistics allows us to analyze the use of our website. WP Statistics collects, among other things, log files (IP address, referrer, browser used, user location, search engine used) and actions that website visitors have taken on the site (e.g., clicks and page views).

The data collected by WP Statistics is stored exclusively on our own server.

The use of this analytics tool is based on Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in the anonymized analysis of user behavior in order to optimize both our website and our advertising. If consent has been obtained, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR and Section 25(1) of the TDDDG, to the extent that the consent covers the storage of cookies or access to information on the user’s device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TDDDG. Consent may be revoked at any time.

IP Anonymization

We use WP Statistics with anonymized IP addresses. Your IP address is truncated so that it can no longer be directly linked to you.

7. Newsletter

Newsletter Information

If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter offered on the website, we need your email address as well as information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the email address provided and that you consent to receiving the newsletter. No other data is collected, or is collected only on a voluntary basis. We use this data exclusively to send you the requested information and do not share it with third parties.

The processing of the data entered in the newsletter sign-up form is based solely on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You may revoke your consent to the storage of your data and email address, as well as their use for sending the newsletter, at any time—for example, by clicking the “Unsubscribe” link in the newsletter. The lawfulness of any data processing that has already taken place remains unaffected by this revocation.

The data you have provided to 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 you unsubscribe or once the purpose for which it was collected no longer applies. We reserve the right to delete or block email addresses from our newsletter distribution list at our sole discretion within the scope of our legitimate interest pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR.

Data that we have stored for other purposes remains unaffected by this.

After you unsubscribe from the newsletter mailing list, your email address may be stored on a blacklist by us or the newsletter service provider, if necessary, to prevent future mailings. The data from the blacklist is used solely for this purpose and is not combined with any other data. This serves both your interest and our interest in complying with legal requirements when sending newsletters (legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR). There is no time limit on storage in the blacklist. You may object to the storage of your data if your interests outweigh our legitimate interests.

Sending newsletters to existing customers

If you order goods or services from us and provide your email address in the process, we may subsequently use that email address to send you newsletters, provided that we inform you of this in advance. In such cases, the newsletter will contain only direct marketing for our own similar goods or services. You may unsubscribe from this newsletter at any time. A link for this purpose is included in every newsletter. The legal basis for sending the newsletter in this case is Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR in conjunction with Section 7(3) of the UWG.

After you unsubscribe from the newsletter mailing list, your email address may be added to a blacklist to prevent future mailings from being sent to you. The data from the blacklist is used solely for this purpose and is not combined with any other data. This serves both your interests and our interest in complying with legal requirements regarding the distribution of newsletters (legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR). There is no time limit on storage in the blacklist. You may object to this storage if your interests outweigh our legitimate interest.

8. Plugins and Tools

Google Fonts (locally hosted)

This site uses so-called Google Fonts, provided by Google, to ensure consistent font display. The Google Fonts are installed locally. No connection is made to Google’s servers.

For more information about Google Fonts, visit https://developers.google.com/fonts/faq and see Google’s Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.