Privacy Statement

Privacy Statement

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Privacy Statement

We are delighted that you are visiting our UK website and that you have shown an interest in our company. The protection of your personal data is very important to us.

The information in this privacy notice informs you about how we collect and process your personal data when you visit our website, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – the “GDPR”, together with other data protection laws including the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who is responsible for data processing and who can I contact?

Balluff Ltd is the controller and responsible for your personal data (collectively referred to as “Balluff”, “we”, “us” or “our” in this privacy notice).

You can contact us using the following details:

Balluff Ltd (Company Number 01349404)
20 Cheshire Business Park
Cheshire Avenue
Lostock Gralam
Northwich, CW9 7UA
Tel. +44 1606 812777
Fax +44 1606 812778
sales@balluff.co.uk
www.balluff.co.uk

Should you have any questions, suggestions, or complaints about this privacy notice or the ways we collect/store your personal data, please contact our corporate data protection officer.

You can contact our corporate data protection officer by sending an e-mail to dataprotection@balluff.de or a letter „for the attention of/FAO Data Protection Manager“ to our postal address above.

2. Processing of personal data when visiting our website

Personal data is data that can identify you (as a living individual) directly or indirectly, e.g. name, address, e-mail address, account details, or your date of birth. It does not include data where the identity has been removed (anonymous data).

Apart from the use of our website for purely information purposes, we offer different services which you can use if you are interested and for which you voluntarily disclose your personal data.

More information can be found below.

We may collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal data about you or your organisation including:

  • Identity data: name, username or similar identifier, title, date of birth and gender.
  • Contact data: billing address, delivery address, email address and telephone numbers.
  • Financial data: bank account and payment card details.
  • Transaction data: details about payments to and from you and other details of products and services you/your organisation has purchased from us.
  • Technical data: internet protocol (IP) address, your login data, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform, and other technology on the devices you use to access this website.
  • Usage data: information about how you use our website, products and services.
  • Marketing and communications data: your preferences in receiving marketing from us and our third parties and your communication preferences.

If you fail to provide personal data

Where we need to collect personal data by law, or under the terms of a contract we have with you or your organisation, and you fail to provide that data when requested, we may not be able to perform the contract we have or are trying to enter into with you or your organisation (for example, to provide you or your organisation with goods or services). In this case, we may have to cancel a product or service you or your organisation has with us but we will notify you if this is the case at the time.

3. Legal bases for processing your personal data

We have set out below a description of the ways we plan to use your personal data, and which of the legal bases we rely on to do so. We have also identified what our legitimate interests are where appropriate.

Note that we may process your personal data for more than one lawful ground depending on the specific purpose for which we are using your data.

  • For the processing of personal data that is required for the fulfillment of a contract with you or your organisation (for example in relation to products or services purchased from us), registering you or your organisation as a new customer and managing payments, fees and charges Art. 6 (1)(b) GDPR serves as a legal basis. In all other circumstances these processing activities may also be necessary for the pursuit of our legitimate interests (to keep our records updated and to study how customers use our products/services) (Art. 6 (1)(f) GDPR).
  • Insofar as the processing of personal data is required for the fulfillment of a legal obligation, to which Balluff is subject, for example notifying you about changes to our terms, administering and protecting our business and this website (including troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, system maintenance, support, reporting and hosting of data), Art. 6 (1)(c) GDPR serves as a legal basis. In all other circumstances these processing activities may also be necessary for the pursuit of our legitimate interests (for running our business, provision of administration and IT services, network security, to prevent fraud and in the context of a business re-organisation or a group restructuring exercise) (Art. 6 (1)(f) GDPR).
  • When using the website for information purposes, i.e. when you do not register or otherwise submit information to us, we collect the usage data which is gathered by the web analysis service used by us, Google Analytics (see paragraph 5 below). The legal basis for this is the pursuit of our legitimate interests to study how customers use our products/services, to develop them and grow our business, to keep our website updated and relevant and to inform our marketing strategy (Art. 6 (1)(f) GDPR).
  • We may make suggestions and recommendations to you about goods or services that may be of interest to you. The legal basis for this is the pursuit of our legitimate interests to develop our products/services and grow our business (Art. 6 (1)(f) GDPR).
  • Generally (unless set out otherwise in this privacy notice) we do not rely on consent as a legal basis for processing your personal data although we will get your consent before sending third party direct marketing communications to you via email or text message. You have the right to withdraw consent to marketing at any time by contacting us.

More information can be found in the individual features of our website and as set out in the privacy notice below.

4. Use of cookies

Cookies are used on this website. A cookie is a small file that can be stored on your computer when you visit a website. Cookies are generally stored in order to offer users additional features on our website.

We use the following types of cookies, whose scope and operating principle are explained below:

  • transient cookies (see 4.1)
  • persistent cookies (see 4.2)

4.1 Transient cookies

Transient cookies are automatically deleted when you close the browser. They include, in particular, session cookies. They save a so-called session ID which can be used to assign different queries from your browser to the joint session. As a result, your computer can be recognised when you return to our website. The session cookies are deleted when you log out or close the browser.

4.2 Persistent cookies

Persistent cookies are automatically deleted after a specified time which may vary depending on the cookie. You can delete the cookies in the security settings of your browser at any time.

You can configure your browser setting according to your wishes and refuse the acceptance of third-party cookies or all cookies. Click on the HELP feature in your browser if you want to find out more about this.

Please note that you may not be able to use all features on the subsequent website if you block or delete cookies.

We use cookies in order to be able to identify you for subsequent visits if you have an account with us. Otherwise, you have to log in each time you visit our website.

The flash cookies used are not collected by your browser, but by your flash plug-in. We also use HTML5 storage objects that are placed on your end device. These objects store the necessary data irrespective of the browser used by you and have no automatic expiration date. If you do not want to allow the processing of flash cookies, you have to install a corresponding add-on, e.g. BetterPrivacy for Mozilla Firefox or the Adobe Flash Killer Cookie for Google Chrome. You can prevent the use of HTML5 storage objects by setting your browser to privacy mode. We also recommend you manually delete your cookies and the browser history on a regular basis.

More information about the cookies can be found here.

5. Use of Google Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analysis service of Google Inc. (Google), which uses cookies. The information generated by the cookie about your usage of this website is generally transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there. Upon activation of the IP anonymisation on this website, your IP address is shortened beforehand by Google within European Union member states or in other countries in the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases is the full IP address transferred to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. Google shall use this information on behalf of the operator of this website in order to evaluate your usage of the website, compile reports about the website activities, and to provide further services to the website operator associated with the website and Internet usage.

The IP address transferred by your browser within the framework of Google Analytics is not merged with other data of Google.

You can prevent the storage of cookies with a corresponding setting on your browser software; however, please note that with this setting you may not be able to fully use all features of this website. You can also prevent the collection of data generated by the cookie and related to your usage of the website (including your IP address) by Google, as well as the processing of this data by Google, by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available under the following link: tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

This website uses Google Analytics with the extension „anonymizeIp()“. This means that IP addresses are only processed further in abbreviated form to prevent them from being directly linked to a particular individual. If a personal connection can be made from the data collected about you, it is rejected immediately and the personal data is deleted straight away.

We use Google Analytics in order to be able to analyse and regularly improve the usage of our website. Using the statistics we can improve our offering and make it more interesting for you as a user. For exceptions, where personal data is transferred to the USA, Google is subject to the EU-US Privacy Shield, see ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/data-transfers-outside-eu/eu-us-privacy-shield_en. which requires Google to provide similar protection to personal data shared between Europe and the US. Our legal basis for the usage of Google Analytics is Art. 6 (1)(f) GDPR. See part 3 above for further information.

This website also uses Google Analytics for the analysis of visitors across multiple devices, which is done using a user ID. You can prevent the storage of cookies with a corresponding setting on your browser software. However, please note that in this case you may not be able to use all features of this website.

You can also prevent Google collecting your data in conjunction with Google Analytics by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available under the following link: tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

You can prevent the collection of your data by Google Analytics on this website by clicking on the link below. An opt-out cookie is placed that prevents the collection of your data in the future when you visit this website:

Deactivate Google Analytics

More information about the terms of use of Google, as well as Google‘s privacy statement can be found here:

5.1. Google Tag Manager

Google Tag Manager is a solution with which we can manage so-called website tags via a single interface (e.g. integrating Google Analytics, as well as other Google Marketing services, in our online offer). The Tag Manager itself (which implements the tags) does not process any personal data of the users. Please refer to the following information on Google services with regard to the processing of personal data of the users. Usage Guidelines:
www.google.co.uk/analytics/tag-manager/use-policy/.

5.2. Google Universal Analytics

We use Google Analytics in the form of „Universal Analytics“. „Universal Analytics“ describes a procedure of Google Analytics where the user analysis is carried out on the basis of a pseudonym user ID which creates a pseudonymised user profile with information from the usage of different devices (so-called „Cross Device Tracking“).

6. Other features and offers of our website

Apart from using our website for purely informative purposes, we also offer different services that you can use if you are interested. For this purpose, you generally have to provide personal data which we use to provide the respective service and for which the principles of data processing apply as set out in this privacy notice.

Sometimes we use external service providers to operate our website and the associated processes. We enter into relevant data processing agreements with those service providers in accordance with the requirements of Art. 28 GDPR.

Our website also uses features of other service providers. You will be redirected to the external website of the service provider. You will be informed accordingly before you are redirected. You can view the respective privacy statements on the websites of the service providers. We do not control these third-party websites and are not responsible for their privacy notices.

6.1 Contact form

On our website we also offer you the opportunity to contact us directly. When making contact by e-mail or using our contact form the data submitted by you (your e-mail address, name, and telephone number) is saved by us in order to respond to your queries. We shall delete the data generated in conjunction with this after the storage is no longer required and no legal retention periods prevent the deletion.

The legal basis for the processing of your personal data above is Art. 6 (1)(a) GDPR and provided the prerequisites are met, Art. 6 (1)(b) GDPR.

6.2 Use of our online shop

When you use our online shop we process your data within the scope of the order process. For the processing of the contracts necessary mandatory details are marked separately, other information is voluntary.

We may use other service providers to process your payments. Your bank details may be transferred to the responsible bank or credit institution, as well as the authorised payment service provider. The legal basis is Art. 6 (1)(b) GDPR, i.e. the processing is required for the fulfillment of our contract with you/your organisation.

Further information on the data protection policy of our payment service provider can be found under the following link: www.concardis.com/de-en/protecting-your-data.

You can voluntarily create a customer account via which we can save your data for further purchases.

The legal bases for the storage of your personal data in these circumstances is Art. 6 (1)(b) GDPR, necessity for the performance of any contract we have with you/your organisation and in all other circumstances Art. 6 (1)(f) GDPR, the pursuit of our legitimate interests of keeping our records updated.

The ordering process is encrypted using SSL technology to prevent unauthorised access by third parties to your personal data, particularly bank details.

6.3 Newsletter

We require your consent for the subscription to our newsletter, which informs you about interesting new products.

We use the so-called double opt-in process for the registration. This means that after you register you automatically receive an e-mail to the e-mail address you submitted. In this e-mail we ask you to confirm your e-mail address. We also save the confirmation logs. The purpose of this process is to be able to verify your registration.

We only require your e-mail address to send you the newsletter. The disclosure of other, separately marked data is voluntary and is used in order to be able to address you personally.

After your confirmation we save your e-mail address for the purpose of sending the newsletter. The legal basis for this is Art. 6 (1)(a) GDPR (you have provided your consent).

You may revoke your consent at any time. This can be done by clicking on the link in every newsletter e-mail or sending an e-mail to sales@balluff.co.uk.

In order to send you the newsletter we may make use of a German service provider who has been bound by us to comply with data protection laws and who shall ensure that your data is only used for sending the Balluff newsletter. Your data is stored in European data centers, and is not transferred outside the EEA.

Our e-mail newsletters may contain links which lead you to separate Balluff websites. In this way we can measure the effectiveness of marketing initiatives. These evaluations use anonymised data so that no conclusions can be made about your identity. The newsletters may also contain links to third-party websites.

We shall only save your data for as long as you are subscribed to the newsletter. After you unsubscribe we shall block your data given in this context so that you no longer receive any newsletters from us in the future.

6.4 Use of Chat feature

If you want to receive direct information or help on our products, services, or other information about Balluff, you have the option to contact us directly and quickly via the Chat feature on our website (at certain times). To take part in the live chat, we require your name and e-mail address. The legal basis for this data processing is Art. 6 (1)(f) GDPR, necessity for the purposes of our legitimate interests to communicate with users via online chats. If you share other personal data with us during the live chat, this information is provided on a voluntary basis.

We shall delete the data generated in conjunction with this after the storage is no longer required and no legal retention periods prevent the deletion.

6.5 Use of social media icons

We have configured social media icons on our website. You can reach the following social media platforms with a simple mouse click: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn. When you visit our website, in principle no personal data is forwarded to the providers. You can recognise the providers of the platforms by the logo. We give you the option to reach their website directly via the icon in Balluff posts.

We have no influence over the collected data and data processing methods nor are we aware of the full extent of the data collection, the purposes of the processing or the storage periods of these social media platforms. We also have no information on the approach to data retention or deletion of these platforms.

Below you can find the addresses of the social media platforms where you can view their privacy statements.

6.6 CAD drawings/3D models

On our website we offer you the option of downloading CAD drawings/3D models. To this end, we utilise the service of the external provider CADENAS GmbH, to whose website you are redirected. The personal data that you disclose on this occasion is further processed by CADENAS GmbH. You can find information about the processing by CADENAS GmbH in its privacy statement found on its website.

6.7 Integration of YouTube videos

1) We have embedded YouTube videos in our online offer, which are stored on www.youtube.com and can be played directly from our website.

2) When you visit the website YouTube is informed that you called up the corresponding subpage from our website. YouTube also collects the following data:

  • IP address
  • Date and time of request
  • Zeitzonendifferenz zur Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
  • Time zone difference to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
  • Content of the request (specific page)
  • Access status/HTTP status code
  • Data volume transferred
  • Website from where the request has come from
  • Browser
  • Operating system and its interface
  • Language and version of browser software.

This occurs irrespective of whether or not you log into a YouTube user account. If you are logged in to Google, your data is assigned directly to your account. If you do not want the data to be assigned to your YouTube profile, you have to log out before activating the button. YouTube saves your data as usage profiles and uses them for advertising, market research, and/or the needs-based design of its website. Any such analysis is effected particularly (even for users who are not logged in) for the provision of appropriate advertising and in order to inform other YouTube users about your activities on our website. You have the right to object to the creation of these user profiles, whereby you must submit the objection to YouTube.

3) More information about the purpose and scope of the data collection and its processing by YouTube can be found in its privacy statement. There you will also find further information about your rights and setting options for the protection of your privacy: policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en. Google also processes your personal data in the USA and is subject to the EU-US Privacy Shield, ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/data-transfers-outside-eu/eu-us-privacy-shield_en.

6.8 Integration of Google Maps

1) We use Google Maps on this website. This means that we display interactive maps directly in the website and facilitate the convenient use of the map function.

2) When you visit the website Google is informed that you called up the corresponding subpage from our website. This occurs irrespective of whether or not you are logged into a Google user account. If you are logged into Google, your data is assigned directly to your account. If you do not want the data to be assigned to your Google profile, you have to log out before activating the button. Google saves your data as usage profiles and uses them for advertising, market research, and/or the needs-based design of its website. Any such analysis is effected particularly (even for users who are not logged in) for the provision of appropriate advertising and in order to inform other Google users about your activities on our website. You have the right to object to the creation of these user profiles. You must submit the objection to Google.

3) More information about the purpose and scope of the data collection and its processing by the plug-in provider can be found in the provider‘s privacy statement. There you will also find further information about your relevant rights and setting options for the protection of your privacy: policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en. Google also processes your personal data in the USA and is subject to the EU-US Privacy Shield, ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/data-transfers-outside-eu/eu-us-privacy-shield_en.

7. Use of retargeting tools

We use so-called retargeting technology on our website. We use retargeting in order to categorise website visitors into user groups. The legal basis for this is the pursuit of our legitimate interests to study how customers use our products/services, to develop them and grow our business and to inform our marketing strategy (Art. 6 (1)(f) GDPR).

7.1 Facebook retargeting

So that we can use relevant news and ads on Facebook – and in order to measure our marketing success, we have installed the Facebook pixel on our sites – and thus the retargeting/remarketing tool of the social network Facebook, 1601 South California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA. When you visit our website and accept marketing cookies, a direct connection is established between your browser and the Facebook server via the Facebook pixel code. Facebook receives information that you visited our page with your IP address. This means that Facebook can assign the visit to our sites to your user account. We do not receive any information about the content of the data transferred, as well as its use by Facebook. And we are unable to assign this data to you as a person. More information about options for protecting your privacy on Facebook can be found in the privacy statements of Facebook online at www.facebook.com/about/privacy/. You can manage which content and information you shared by using Facebook via the „Activity log“ tool or download it from Facebook via the „Download your data“ tool.

If you want to deactivate the retargeting via Facebook for your browser, please use the opt-out function in the cookie setting.

7.2. Google Adwords Conversion

(1) We use Google Adwords in order to draw attention to our attractive offers using ads (so-called Google Adwords) on external websites. We can determine how successful the individual advertising measures are in relation to the data of the advertising campaigns. In so doing, our aim is to show you ads that are of interest to you, make our website more interesting for you, and achieve a fair calculation of advertising costs.

(2) This advertising media is delivered by Google via a so-called „Ad Server“. To this end, we use Ad Server cookies through which certain parameters can be measured for the performance measurement, like insertion of ads or clicks by the user. If you reach our website from a Google ad, a cookie is stored by Google Adwords on your PC. These cookies generally lose their validity after 30 days and are not intended to personally identify you. For this cookie the unique cookie ID, number of ad impressions per placement (frequency), last impression (relevant for post-view conversions), as well as opt-out information (marking that the user no longer wishes to be contacted), are generally saved as analysis values.

(3) These cookies allow Google to recognize your Internet browser. If a user visits certain pages of the website of an AdWords customer and the cookie stored on his computer is not yet expired, Google and the customer are able to recognize that the user has clicked on the ad and has been redirected to this page. A different cookie is assigned to every AdWords customer. Cookies cannot be tracked via the websites of AdWords customers. We do not collect and process any personal data in the stated advertising measures. Google only provides us with statistical analyses. On the basis of these analyses, we are able to recognize which of the advertising measures used are particularly effective. We do not receive additional data from the use of advertising media. Moreover, we are unable to identify the users using this information.

(4) Owing to the marketing tools used, your browser automatically establishes a direct connection with the Google server. We have no influence on the scope and further processing of the data that is collected by Google through the use of this tool, and we therefore inform you according to the level of information known: With the integration of AdWords Conversion, Google receives information that you called up the corresponding page of our website or clicked on one of our ads. If you are registered for a Google service, Google may assign the visit to your account. Even if you are not registered with Google or not logged in, there is the possibility that the provider finds out and saves your IP address.

(5) You can prevent the participation in this tracking process in different ways: a) with a corresponding setting in your browser software, particularly the rejection of third-party cookies means that you do not receive any ads from third-party providers; b) by deactivation of cookies for conversion tracking by setting your browser so that cookies are blocked from the domain „www.googleadservices.com“, www.google.com/settings/ads, whereby this setting is deleted when you delete your cookies; c) by deactivation of the interest-related ads from providers, which are part of the self-regulation campaign „About Ads“, via the link www.aboutads.info/choices, whereby this setting is deleted when you delete your cookies; d) by permanent deactivation in your browsers Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Google Chrome under the link www.google.com/settings/ads/plugin. Please note that in this case you may not be able to use all features of this offer.

(6) The legal basis for this is the pursuit of our legitimate interests to study how customers use our products/services, to develop them, to grow our business and to inform our marketing strategy (Art. 6 (1)(f) GDPR). More information about data protection at Google can be found here: policies.google.com. Alternatively, you can visit the website of the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) at www.networkadvertising.org.
Google is subject to the EU-US Privacy Shield, ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/data-transfers-outside-eu/eu-us-privacy-shield_en.

8. Other data sharing

We may share your personal data with other members of our group including with our parent company Balluff GmbH, based in Germany, who also administer the UK website and send out marketing communications to UK customers.

9. Duration of storage

We shall only store your personal data for as long as is required for the intended purpose of data collection, or as required by law. To determine the appropriate retention period for personal data, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure of your personal data, the purposes for which we process your personal data and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and the applicable legal requirements. The data is only stored beyond this period if this is required according to laws, rules, or other regulations of the European Union or UK, to which we are subject. More information can be found in the individual features of our website or by contacting us using the details set out in this privacy notice.

10. Objection to processing of your data or revocation of consent

If you gave your consent for the processing of your data, you can revoke it again at any time for future effect. You can send your notice of revocation to sales@balluff.co.uk or please contact our corporate data protection officer at dataprotection@balluff.de. Please note that we may be legally bound to continue to store the data despite receipt of the objection or cancellation.

11. Your rights

If your personal data is processed, you are a data subject within the meaning of the GDPR, and you have the following rights:

  • Request access to your personal information (commonly known as a „data subject access request“). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.
  • Request correction of the personal information that we hold about you. This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate information we hold about you corrected.
  • Request erasure of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to delete or remove personal information where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it. You also have the right to ask us to delete or remove your personal information where you have exercised your right to object to processing (see below).
  • Object to processing of your personal information where we are relying on a legitimate interest (or those of a third party) and there is something about your particular situation which makes you want to object to processing on this ground. You also have the right to object where we are processing your personal information for direct marketing purposes (for example, email marketing or phone calls).
  • Request the restriction of processing of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of personal information about you, for example if you want us to establish its accuracy or the reason for processing it.
  • Object to any automated decision-making about you which produces legal effects or otherwise significantly affects you. You will not be subject to decisions that will have a significant impact on you based solely on automated decision-making, unless we have a lawful basis for doing so and we have notified you. We do not envisage that any decisions will be taken about you using automated means, however we will update this privacy notice if this position changes.
  • Request the transfer of your personal data to you or to a third party. We will provide to you, or a third party you have chosen, your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format. Note that this right only applies to automated information which you initially provided consent for us to use or where we used the information to perform a contract with you.

Please be aware that these rights are subject to certain conditions and exceptions as set out in UK data protection law. If you want to review, verify, correct or request erasure of your personal information, object to the processing of your personal data, or request that we transfer a copy of your personal information to another party, please contact the corporate data protection officer at dataprotection@balluff.de in writing and they will explain any conditions that may apply.

No fee usually required

You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal information (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request for access is clearly unfounded or excessive. Alternatively, we may refuse to comply with the request in such circumstances.

What we may need from you

We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access the information (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is another appropriate security measure to ensure that personal information is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it.

Further guidance on your rights is available from the UK’s supervisory office for data protection, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk). You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk/concerns/ if you believe that your data has been processed unlawfully.

12. Changes to the privacy notice

Due to changes in technology and possible amendments in the law, it may be necessary to adapt our privacy notice from time to time. Therefore, you should always take note of the current version of our privacy notice as set out on our website.

 

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