Privacy Policy

1. Data Protection at a Glance

General Information

The following information provides a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit our website. Personal data refers to any information that can be used to identify you personally. Detailed information on the subject of data protection can be found in our Privacy Policy set out below.

Data Collection on Our 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 the operator’s contact details in the legal notice (Imprint) of this website.

How do we collect your data?

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

Other data is collected automatically by our IT systems when you visit the website. This primarily includes technical data (e.g., internet browser, operating system, or time of page access). This data is collected automatically as soon as you enter our 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 user behavior.

What rights do you have regarding your data?

You have the right at any time to receive information free of charge about the origin, recipients, and purpose of your stored personal data. You also have the right to request the correction, restriction, or deletion of this data.

For this purpose, as well as for further questions regarding data protection, you may contact us at any time using the address provided in the legal notice. Furthermore, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

You also have the right, under certain circumstances, to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data. Details can be found in this Privacy Policy under “Right to Restriction of Processing”.

Analytics Tools and Third-Party Tools

When you visit our website, your browsing behavior may be statistically analyzed. This is primarily done using cookies and so-called analytics programs. The analysis of your browsing behavior is generally anonymous and cannot be traced back to you personally. You can object to this analysis or prevent it by not using certain tools. Detailed information can be found in the following Privacy Policy. You may object to this analysis. We will inform you about the available options for objection in this Privacy Policy.

2. General Information and Mandatory Information

Data Protection

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 applicable data protection laws and this Privacy Policy.

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

Please note that data transmission over the Internet (e.g., communication by email) may be subject to security vulnerabilities. Complete protection of data against access by third parties is not possible.

Information About the Responsible Party

The party responsible for data processing on this website is:

Kottas International GmbH

Vertreten durch:

Kontakt

The responsible party 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.).

Withdrawal of Your Consent to Data Processing

Many data processing operations are only possible with your explicit consent. You may withdraw any consent already given at any time. An informal notification by email is sufficient for this purpose. The legality of the data processing carried out before the withdrawal remains unaffected by the withdrawal.

Right to Object to Data Collection in Special Cases and to Direct Marketing (Art. 21 GDPR)

If data processing is carried out on the basis of Article 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR, you have the right at any time to object to the processing of your personal data on grounds relating to your particular situation; 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 affected personal data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights, and freedoms, or the processing serves the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims (objection pursuant to Art. 21(1) GDPR).

If your personal data is processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for such marketing purposes; this also applies to profiling insofar as it is related to such direct marketing. If you object, your personal data will subsequently no longer be used for direct marketing purposes (objection pursuant to Art. 21(2) GDPR).

Right to Lodge a Complaint with the Competent Supervisory Authority

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

Right to Data Portability

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

SSL and TLS Encryption

This website 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 website operator. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the change in the browser’s address bar from “http://” to “https://” and by the lock symbol displayed in your browser.

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

Access, Restriction, Deletion, and Correction

Within the framework of the applicable legal provisions, you have the right at any time to obtain free information about your stored personal data, its origin, recipients, and the purpose of data processing. You may also have the right to request the correction, restriction, or deletion of this data. For this purpose, as well as for further questions regarding personal data, you may contact us at any time using the address provided in the legal notice.

Right to Restriction of Processing

You have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data. You may contact us at any time using the address provided in the legal notice. The right to restriction of processing applies in the following cases:

• If you contest the accuracy of your personal data stored by us, we generally require time to verify this. For the duration of the verification, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.
• If the processing of your personal data was or is unlawful, you may request the restriction of data processing instead of deletion.
• If we no longer need your personal data, but you require it for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims, you have the right to request the restriction of processing instead of deletion.
• If you have lodged an objection pursuant to Article 21(1) GDPR, a balancing of interests between your interests and ours must be carried out. Until it is determined whose interests prevail, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.

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

Objection to Promotional Emails

The use of contact data published within the scope of the legal notice obligation for the purpose of sending unsolicited advertising and information materials is hereby prohibited. The operators of this website expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of the unsolicited sending of advertising information, such as spam emails.

3. Data Collection on Our Website

Cookies

Some parts of this website use so-called cookies. Cookies do not harm your computer and do not contain viruses. Cookies serve to make our website more user-friendly, effective, and secure. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device and saved by your browser.

Most of the cookies we use are so-called “session cookies.” They are automatically deleted after your visit. Other cookies remain stored on your device until you delete them. These cookies enable us to recognize your browser on your next visit.

You can configure your browser to inform you about the use of cookies and to allow cookies only in individual cases, to exclude the acceptance of cookies for specific cases or in general, and to activate the automatic deletion of cookies when closing the browser. Disabling cookies may limit the functionality of this website.

Cookies that are required for the execution of electronic communication processes or for providing certain functions requested by you (e.g., shopping cart functionality) are stored on the basis of Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing cookies for the technically error-free and optimized provision of its services. Where other cookies are stored (e.g., cookies used to analyze your browsing behavior), they are addressed separately in this Privacy Policy.

Server Log Files

The provider of these pages 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 accessing computer
• Time of the server request
• IP address

This data is not combined with other data sources.

The collection of this data is based on Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in the technically error-free presentation and optimization of the website. For this purpose, server log files must be collected.

Contact Form

If you send us inquiries via the contact form, the information you provide in the form, including the contact details you enter, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing your inquiry and in case of follow-up questions. We do not share this data without your consent.

The processing of the data entered into the contact form is therefore based exclusively on your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). You may revoke this consent at any time. An informal notification by email is sufficient for this purpose. The legality of the data processing carried out before the revocation remains unaffected.

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

Contact by Email, Telephone, or Fax

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

The processing of this data is based on Article 6(1)(b) GDPR, provided that your inquiry is related to the performance of a contract or is necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, processing is based on your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR) and/or our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR), as we have a legitimate interest in the effective handling of inquiries addressed to us.

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

Processing of Data (Customer and Contract Data)

We collect, process, and use personal data only to the extent necessary for establishing, defining the content of, or modifying a legal relationship (inventory data). This is done on the basis of Article 6(1)(b) GDPR, which permits the processing of data for the performance of a contract or pre-contractual measures.

We collect, process, and use personal data relating to the use of our website (usage data) only to the extent necessary to enable the user to utilize the service or to bill for its use.

Collected customer data will be deleted after completion of the order or termination of the business relationship. Statutory retention periods remain unaffected.

4. Analytics Tools and Advertising

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 uses so-called “cookies.” These are text files stored on your computer that enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie regarding your use of this website is generally transmitted to and stored on a Google server in the United States.

The storage of Google Analytics cookies and the use of this analytics tool are based on Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analyzing user behavior in order to optimize both the website and its advertising.

IP Anonymization

We have activated the IP anonymization feature on this website. As a result, your IP address is shortened by Google within Member States of the European Union or in other states party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area before being transmitted to the United States.

Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transmitted to a Google server in the United States and shortened there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, compile reports on website activity, and provide further services related to website and internet usage to the website operator.

The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data.

Browser Plugin

You can prevent the storage of cookies by adjusting the settings of your browser software. However, please note that in this case you may not be able to use all functions of this website to their full extent.

You can also prevent Google from collecting and processing the data generated by the cookie and related to your use of the website (including your IP address) by downloading and installing the browser plugin available at the following link:

https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en

Objection to Data Collection

You can prevent the collection of your data by Google Analytics by clicking the corresponding opt-out link on this website. An opt-out cookie will be set that prevents the collection of your data during future visits to this website.

Further information on how Google Analytics handles user data can be found in Google’s Privacy Policy:

https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en

Data Processing Agreement

We have concluded a data processing agreement with Google and fully comply with the strict requirements of European data protection authorities when using Google Analytics.

Demographic Features in Google Analytics

This website uses the “demographic features” function of Google Analytics. This allows reports to be generated containing information about the age, gender, and interests of website visitors.

This data is derived from Google’s interest-based advertising and from third-party visitor data. This data cannot be assigned to any specific individual.

You can deactivate this feature at any time via the ad settings in your Google account or generally prohibit the collection of your data by Google Analytics as described under “Objection to Data Collection.”

Storage Duration

Data stored by Google at user and event level that is linked to cookies, user identifiers (e.g., User ID), or advertising IDs (e.g., DoubleClick cookies or Android advertising IDs) is anonymized or deleted after 14 months.

Further details can be found at the following link:

https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7667196?hl=en

5. Plugins and Tools

YouTube with Enhanced Privacy Mode

Our website uses plugins from YouTube. The provider is Google Ireland Limited (“Google”), Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

We use YouTube in enhanced privacy mode. According to YouTube, this mode means that YouTube does not store information about visitors to this website before they watch a video. However, the transfer of data to YouTube partners is not necessarily excluded by the enhanced privacy mode.

For example, YouTube establishes a connection to the Google DoubleClick network regardless of whether you watch a video. As soon as you start a YouTube video on our website, a connection to YouTube’s servers is established. The YouTube server is informed which of our pages you have visited.

If you are logged into your YouTube account, YouTube can directly associate your browsing behavior with your personal profile. You can prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account.

Furthermore, YouTube may store various cookies on your device after starting a video. With the help of these cookies, YouTube can obtain information about visitors to our website. This information is used, among other things, to collect video statistics, improve user experience, and prevent fraud.

These cookies remain on your device until you delete them.

Additional data processing operations may be triggered after starting a YouTube video, over which we have no control.

The use of YouTube is in the interest of presenting our online content in an appealing manner. This constitutes a legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.

Further information on YouTube’s privacy practices can be found in its Privacy Policy at:

https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en

Vimeo

Our website uses plugins from the video platform Vimeo. The provider is Vimeo Inc., 555 West 18th Street, New York, New York 10011, USA.

When you visit one of our pages equipped with a Vimeo plugin, a connection to Vimeo’s servers is established. Vimeo is informed which of our pages you have visited. Vimeo also obtains your IP address. This applies even if you are not logged into Vimeo or do not have a Vimeo account.

The information collected by Vimeo is transmitted to Vimeo servers in the United States.

If you are logged into your Vimeo account, Vimeo can directly associate your browsing behavior with your personal profile. You can prevent this by logging out of your Vimeo account.

The use of Vimeo is in the interest of presenting our online content in an appealing manner. This constitutes a legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.

Further information on how Vimeo handles user data can be found in Vimeo’s Privacy Policy:

https://vimeo.com/privacy

Google Web Fonts

This website uses Google Web Fonts to ensure a consistent display of fonts. The Google Fonts used on this website are installed locally. No connection to Google servers is established.

OpenStreetMap

We use the mapping service OpenStreetMap (OSM). The provider is the OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF), 132 Maney Hill Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B72 1JU, United Kingdom.

When you visit a website on which OpenStreetMap is integrated, your IP address and other information regarding your behavior on this website may be transmitted to the OSMF.

OpenStreetMap may store cookies in your browser for this purpose. These are text files stored on your computer that enable an analysis of your use of the website.

You can prevent the storage of cookies by adjusting your browser settings. However, please note that in this case you may not be able to use all functions of this website to their full extent.

Furthermore, your location may be collected if you have enabled this feature in your device settings, for example on your smartphone. The provider of this website has no influence over this data transmission.

Details can be found in the OpenStreetMap Privacy Policy:

https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Privacy_Policy

The use of OpenStreetMap is in the interest of providing an attractive presentation of our online services and ensuring that the locations specified on our website can be found easily. This constitutes a legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.

WORDFENCE

This website uses the security plugin WORDFENCE to protect the website against hacker attacks and other security threats. The provider is DEFIANT, 800 5th Ave Ste 4100, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.

A GDPR-compliant Data Processing Agreement has been concluded.

WORDFENCE currently uses three cookies. The following explains what each cookie does, who receives the cookie, and how it contributes to website security.

wfwaf-authcookie- (Hash)

What it does:
This cookie is used by the WORDFENCE firewall to perform a capability check of the current user before WordPress loads.

Who receives this cookie:
This cookie is only set for users who can log in to WordPress.

How this cookie helps:
This cookie allows the WORDFENCE firewall to recognize logged-in users and grant them increased access. WORDFENCE can also recognize non-logged-in users and restrict their access to secure areas. The cookie informs the firewall of the visitor’s access level so that it can make intelligent decisions about who should be allowed access and who should be blocked.

wf_loginalerted_ (Hash)

What it does:
This cookie is used to notify the WORDFENCE administrator when an administrator logs in from a new device or location.

Who receives this cookie:
This cookie is only set for administrators.

How this cookie helps:
This cookie helps website operators identify whether an administrator login has occurred from a new device or location.

wfCBLBypass

What it does:
WORDFENCE provides site visitors with the ability to bypass country blocking by accessing a hidden URL. This cookie is used to determine who is allowed to bypass country restrictions.

Who receives this cookie:
If a hidden URL defined by the site administrator is accessed, this cookie is used to verify whether the user may access the site from a country that is otherwise restricted by country blocking. This cookie is only set for users who know the hidden URL. It is not set for users who do not know the hidden URL.

How this cookie helps:
This cookie allows website owners to grant access to specific users from blocked countries, even when those countries are otherwise restricted.

Further information on how DEFIANT handles user data can be found in its Privacy Policy:

https://www.wordfence.com/privacy-policy/