Information on data protection

Privacy Policy

KITAGAWA GmbH, Birkenwaldstraße 38, 63179 Obertshausen, Germany (hereinafter: „Kitagawa GmbH“) takes the protection of your personal data very seriously. We only process your personal data in compliance with this privacy policy and the respective legal regulations, in particular the European General Data Protection Regulation (hereinafter: “GDPR”).

The following Privacy Policy provides information on the processing of your personal data when you use our website (hereinafter referred to as the “Website”) [Number 1], the processing of personal data of our customers and suppliers [Number 2], the processing of personal data of potential customers and interested parties [Number 3] as well as the processing of personal data of applicants [Number 4]. Beyond that, you will find in Number 5 to 7 general information applying to all persons concerned.

Use of our Website

1.1 Use of our Website in General

When you use our website, we process the personal data that your browser transfers to our server. This includes the IP address, date and time of the enquiry, time difference from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), content of the enquiry (the specific page), the access status or HTTP status code, the volume of the data transferred, the website the enquiry comes from, the browser used, the operating system and its interface, as well as the language and version of the browser software. The processing is based on Art. 6 (1) 1 lit. f GDPR. This data processing allows the presentation of our Website and particularly ensures its stability and security.

1.2 Cookies

In addition to the aforementioned data, cookies are stored on your computer when you visit our Website. Cookies are small text files, which are stored on your hard drive, attached to the browser you are using. Thus, certain data will be transferred to the person storing the cookie. Cookies cannot run programmes or transfer viruses to your computer. They are used to make our Website more user-friendly and more effective. The legal basis for this data processing is Art. 6 (1) 1 lit. f GDPR.

You can prevent cookies from being stored on your computer by respective browser settings, i.e. by deactivating the placing of cookies in general. In such case, however, features on this Website may no longer function properly. Specifically, our Website uses the following cookies:

Google Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (“Google”). Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyze how users use the site. The website operator receives various usage data, such as page views, length of visit, operating systems used and origin of the user. This data may be summarized by Google in a profile that is assigned to the respective user or their end device.

Your express consent is required for the use of Google Analytics. At the beginning of the usage process, you have the option of refusing or granting your consent via the cookie banner and informing yourself about our company’s data protection rules. You can withdraw your consent at any time and without giving reasons. You can withdraw your consent at any time by opening the cookie box and moving the corresponding slider to “Off”.

If you give us your consent, the legal basis for the processing of personal data in connection with Google Analytics is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR. The cookies are also stored and read on the basis of your consent in accordance with Section 25 (1) TDDDG.

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. However, if IP anonymization is activated on this website, your IP address will be shortened by Google within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and truncated there. There is currently an adequacy decision by the European Commission for the transfer of data to companies in the USA, provided that US companies are certified under the Data Privacy Framework Program. Google Inc. is certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. Through this certification, the company has undertaken to comply with higher data protection standards than are customary in the United States and which are intended to come close to those of the European Union. However, there is still a risk that your right to the protection of personal data in the USA will not be effectively protected. The transfer of your personal data to the USA is based on the adequacy decision pursuant to Art. 45 para. 1 GDPR.

On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use the information analyzed by to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activity and to provide other services relating to website activity and internet usage to the website operator. We have concluded a corresponding contract with Google for order processing. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. You can also prevent Google from collecting the data generated by the cookie and relating to your use of the website (including your IP address) and from processing this data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plug-in available at the following link ( https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de).

You can prevent Google Analytics from collecting your data by clicking on the following link. An opt-out cookie will be set to prevent the future collection of your data when you visit this website: Deactivate the collection of data by Google Analytics for this website.

Further information on terms of use and data protection can be found at https://www.google.com/analytics/terms/de.html or at https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/. Please note that on this website Google Analytics has been extended by the code “anonymizeIp” in order to ensure an anonymized collection of IP addresses (so-called IP masking).

Google Adwords Remarketing

We use remarketing tags provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, 4 Barrow St, Dublin, D04 E5W5, Ireland (“Google”). These tags are another area in which Google uses cookies, which are stored on visitors’ computers to help analyze the use of websites. The information generated by the use of our website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will then truncate the last three digits of your IP address to prevent it from being associated with you. Google may also transfer this information to third parties insofar as these third parties process the data on behalf of Google and this is permitted by law. Third-party providers (including Google itself) use stored cookies to display advertising on websites based on previous user visits.

Your express consent is required , which you at any time by calling up for the use of remarketing tagscan revoke the cookie banner (see above).

If you give us your consent, the legal basis for the processing of personal data in connection with Google is remarketing tags Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR. The cookie is also stored and read on the basis of your consent in accordance with Section 25 (1) TDDDG.

The transfer of data to Google in the USA is based on certification in accordance with the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (see above). However, there is still a risk that your right to the protection of personal data in the USA will not be effectively protected. The transfer of your personal data to the USA is based on the adequacy decision pursuant to Art. 45 para. 1 GDPR.

Google Tag Manager

We use the Google Tag Manager. The provider is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (“Google”). Google Tag Manager is a tool that enables us to integrate tracking or statistical tools and other technologies on our website. The Google Tag Manager itself does not create any user profiles, does not store any cookies and does not carry out any independent analyses. It is only used to manage and display the tools integrated via it. However, Google Tag Manager records your IP address, which may also be transferred to Google’s parent company in the United States. The data transfer of the IP is technically necessary. M we have concluded a contract with Google for order processing.

The Google Tag Manager is used in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR on the basis of your consent ; consent can be revoked at any time.

Google Ads Conversion Tracking

This website also uses the conversion tracking technology of Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (“Google”) . Google AdWords stores an individual cookie on your computer when you access our website via a Google advertisement. If you access certain areas of our website and the cookie on your computer has not yet expired, we can determine that you have been redirected to these areas after clicking on a specific ad. The information collected with the help of conversion cookies enables us to compile conversion statistics. This allows us to determine the total number of users who have clicked on our ads and have thus been directed to a page with a conversion tracking tag. However, we do not receive any information that could be used to identify individual users. We have concluded a corresponding contract with Google for order processing.

Your express consent is required for the use of conversion tracking, which you can revoke at any time by calling up the cookie banner (see above).

If you give us your consent, the legal basis for the processing of personal data in connection with is conversion tracking Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR. The cookies are also stored and read on the basis of your consent in accordance with Section 25 (1) TDDDG.

If you wish to deactivate the tracking process, you can reject the required cookie (e.g. by deactivating the automatic generation of cookies in your browser settings). You can also deactivate the conversion tracking cookies by instructing your browser to block cookies from the domain “www.googleadservices.com”.

Hotjar

We use Hotjar, a web analytics software provided by Hotjar Ltd, Dragonara Business Centre, 5th Floor, Dragonara Road, Paceville St Julian’s STJ 3141, Malta (hereinafter: Hotjar), to better understand the needs of our users and to optimize the offer and experience on this website. Hotjar’s technology helps us to gain a better understanding of our users’ experiences (e.g. how much time users spend on which pages, which links they click on, what they like and dislike, etc.) and this helps us to tailor our offering to our users’ feedback.

Hotjar works with cookies and other technologies to collect data about the behavior of our users and their end devices, in particular IP address of the device (is only recorded and stored in anonymized form during your website use), screen size, device type (unique device identifiers), information about the browser used, location (country only), preferred language for displaying our website. Hotjar stores this information on our behalf in a pseudonymized user profile. Hotjar is contractually prohibited from selling the data collected on our behalf. We have concluded a corresponding data processing agreement with Hotjar.

Cookies are stored on the basis of Section 25 (1) TDDDG and therefore on the basis of your consent. The further processing of your personal data is also based on your consent. If you give us your consent, the legal basis is therefore Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a GDPR. You can revoke your consent at any time by opening the cookie settings and moving the corresponding slider to “Off”.

For more information, see the ‘about Hotjar’ section on Hotjar’s help page and https://www.hotjar.com/legal/policies/privacy .

Other Cookies

Beyond that, our Website uses only such cookies that are strictly necessary for providing our website.

After a certain period they will be automatically deleted. Beyond that, you can delete all cookies in your browser settings at any time.

1.3 Contact by e-mail or contact form

If you contact us by e-mail, we will store the data you have provided to us (your e-mail address, your name and your telephone number) in order to respond to your questions. We will delete the data that we receive in this way when their storage is no longer necessary, or restrict their processing if there are legal requirements to store the data. The same applies if you use our contact form. For this method of contact, only the details of your name, your e-mail address and your telephone number are required. Any further information – as e.g. your postal address – is voluntary. The data you provide on our contact form is transferred between your browser and our server in encrypted form (SSL/TLS).

The legal basis for the processing of the data is Art. 6 (1) 1 lit. b GDPR.

Customers and Suppliers

If our customers and suppliers provide any personal data in the context of our contractual relationship (e.g. name and contact details of our contact persons), we will process such data in order to perform the contract. Legal basis is Art. 6 (1) 1 lit. b GDPR.

Beyond that, we evaluate certain customer data (e.g. on customer satisfaction, quality management) on group level. Therefore, we provide selected data to KITAGAWA Industries Co., Ltd., Japan. The legal basis for this processing is our legitimate interest in distributing and optimizing our products according to Art. 6 (1) 1 lit. f GDPR. The transfer of data to Japan is based on an adequacy decision of the European Commission.

Potential Customers and Interested Parties

If potential customers and interested parties have provided personal data to us (e.g. name and contact details of contact persons visiting our booth on trade fairs), we will process such data for the processing of your request (e.g. follow-up messages and mailing of our catalogue). Legal basis is Art. 6 (1) 1 lit. b GDPR. Beyond that, we us such data for the purposes of marketing and evaluation. The legal basis for this processing is our legitimate interest in distributing our products according to Art. 6 (1) 1 lit. f GDPR.

Applicants

If you send us an application by e-mail, we will process the data you have provided to us (your contact details, data of birth, professional career) in order to process your application.

Processing of your application data is strictly limited for filling the vacant position you applied for. Beyond that, we will store your data for 6 month after completion of the application process in order to respond to your questions on the application process and a possible rejection of your application.

The legal basis for the processing of the data is Sec. 26 of the Federal Data Protection Act (“Bundesdatenschutzgesetz – BDSG”).

Disclosure of Data

We will only disclose personal data collected by us to third parties if this is legitimate under data protection law. Specific information on scope and recipients can be found in this Privacy Policy. Otherwise, we will only provide your personal data to other companies and individuals that we have commissioned to carry out individual assignments and services on our behalf. The disclosure of your personal data to these companies is limited to the extent necessary for the completion of the activity. These companies are similarly bound by the regulations of the data protection law, are carefully selected by us and regularly monitored by us. Moreover, we will only pass on your personal data to third parties if we are required to do so by law or a court ruling.

Data Security and Storage Period

For the protection of your personal data, we take measures to protect your data from unauthorised access, loss, misuse or destruction. Please note that data transmission via the Internet (e.g. communication by e-mail) may be subject to security risks. It is not possible to protect the data completely against access by third parties.

Personal data are only stored for the time that is necessary to achieve the purpose of their storage, or as provided for by legislation. Accordingly, the personal data are routinely blocked or deleted when there is no longer a purpose to their storage or on expiry of a deadline stipulated by law.

Your Rights/Contact

You have the following rights as regards your personal data collected by us, which the KITAGAWA GmbH is obliged to respect:

Right of access
Right of rectification and erasure
Right of limitation of processing
Right to object to processing
Right of data portability.

If you have given your consent to the processing of your personal data, you may withdraw this at any time. Such withdrawal does not affect the legality of the processing that was carried out on the basis of your consent up until its withdrawal.

In case we base the processing of your personal data on the balance of interests (Art. 6 (1) 1 lit. f GDPR), you may raise an objection to the processing. When exercising such objection, we request that you state the reasons why we should not process your personal data as we have done. If your objection is justified, we will examine the situation and either stop or adjust the data processing or point out to you the compelling legitimate grounds for our continuing to process your personal data.

You may, of course, object to the processing of your personal data for the purpose of advertising and data analysis at any time. You may inform us of your objection to advertising by using the following contact details: KITAGAWA GmbH, Birkenwaldstraße 38, 63179 Obertshausen, Germany, e-mail: sales@kitagawa.de.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority about the processing of your personal data by us.

The responsible controller as defined by Art. 4 (7) GDPR is KITAGAWA GmbH, Birkenwaldstraße 38, 63179 Obertshausen, Germany, e-mail: sales@kitagawa.de (siehe auch unter Impressum). You may contact our Data Protection Officer via e-mail (dpo@kitagawa.de) or via our postal address referring to “the Data Protection Officer”.

Version 2.0 EN