Hettich Instruments, L.P. (USA) (collectively, “Hettich”, “Hettich North America”, “us”, “we”, or “our”) has created this Privacy Policy in order to advise you about Hettich’s information practices, such as the types of information we collect and how we may use that information.   We remain committed to your privacy and our compliance with applicable privacy laws. The following policy discloses our information gathering and dissemination practices for our website and provides information on the rights that our users can exercise. This privacy policy is only applicable to our U.S. website: www.hettweb.com (the “US Website”)   (Please note that our German parent company, Andreas Hettich GmbH & Co. KG, has a website located at www.hettichlab.com (the “German Website”), with its own privacy policy).

It is important that you read this Privacy Policy, together with any other privacy notice or fair processing notice we may provide on specific occasions when we are collecting or using Personal Information about you so that you are fully aware of how and why we are using your information. This Privacy Policy supplements the other notices and is not intended to override them.

I. Scope of Data Collection and Use

A. How Data is Collected

This Privacy Policy applies to the US Website and all other websites, features, or online services that post a link to this Privacy Policy (the “Sites”), whether access via computer, mobile device or otherwise.  Note, however, this Privacy Policy does not apply to your use of unaffiliated websites that link to these Sites.    Once you enter another website (whether through an advertisement, service or content link), be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other websites.

When you visit our website, our web servers collect information about your visit.  Hettich uses this information to help diagnose problems with our server, analyze trends, and administer our website.

Personal Information or personal data means any information about an individual from which that person can be identified. It does not include information where the identity has been removed (“Anonymous Data.”)  We and our third-party service providers may collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of Personal Information about you that we have grouped together, as follows:

Identity Information includes name, username, or similar identifier, and title.

Demographic Information includes state and zip code.

Contact Information includes billing address, mailing address, email address, and telephone numbers.

Technical Information includes 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 or other unique identifier (a set of numbers or characters that is assigned to your computer, mobile phone, or other device when you are on the Internet) (“Device Identifier”) for any computer, mobile phone, tablet or other device (any of which are referred to herein as a “Device”) used to access the Sites.

Profile Information includes your purchases or orders made by you, your interests, preferences, and feedback.

Usage Data includes information about how you use our Sites, products, and services, including all of the areas within our Sites that you visit or use, and the time of day you visited the Site, among other information.

Marketing and Communications Information includes your preferences in receiving marketing from us and our third parties and your communication preferences.

Location Information includes information about your location using a variety of technologies, such as GPS, IP address, and connected or nearby Wi-Fi networks.

User Content Information includes text (including questions, comments, and suggestions), pictures, audio, videos, or other content (collectively, “User Content”) you share by participating and posting content publicly in reviews, interactive features, or other communication functionality (“Community Features”).

We also collect, use, and share Aggregated Information such as statistical or demographic information for any purpose. Aggregated Information may be derived from your Personal Information but is not considered Personal Information in law as this information does not directly or indirectly reveal your identity. For example, we may aggregate your Usage Data to calculate the percentage of users accessing a specific website feature. However, if we combine or connect Aggregated Information with your Personal Information so that it can directly or indirectly identify you, we treat the combined information as Personal Information that will be used in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

We do not collect any Special Categories of Personal Information about you (this includes details about your race or ethnicity, religious or philosophical beliefs, sex life, sexual orientation, political opinions, trade union membership, information about your health, and genetic and biometric data). Nor do we collect any information about criminal convictions and offenses.

Our Site’s “Ordering Information” and “Request Info” section, or on our “Contact Us” page, or if you order products, register for services, or otherwise submit data using the Sites, you may voluntarily provide us with contact information, such as name, phone number and email address, through filling out a contact form. We use customer information provided through these forms to send information about our company, products, and services. Customer contact information is also used to contact customers when necessary. You may also provide information specific to your interaction with the Sites. In such instances, you will know what personal data is collected by us, because you will have actively submitted it.

Information Passively Submitted. We automatically collect information during your use and navigation of the Sites, including the URL of the website you came from, the browser software you use, your Internet Protocol (IP) address, IP ports, date/time of access, data transferred, pages visited, amount of time you spend on the Sites and information about actions and transactions conducted on the Sites.

Users may remove their voluntarily provided information from our database so as not to receive future communications. You may send an email to that effect to privacy@hettweb.com.

Our site also uses cookies.  These are small files that the webserver transfers to your computer.  These files are used to track your way through the pages of our website or to accept an order. Cookies are distinguished according to the duration of their storage.  Session cookies are automatically deleted when you close their browser.  A session cookie can serve to manage an order form or record which services are of particular interest.  Permanent cookies remain stored on your computer. A permanent cookie can be read again on the next visit of our website.  To prevent this, you can delete the permanent cookie after visiting our website.

We offer certain services that are available only through the use of cookies. Generally, there are the following categories of cookies:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Some cookies are essential for the operation of the website. For example, some cookies allow us to identify registered users and ensure they can access the website. If a registered user opts to disable these cookies, the user may not be able to access all of the content of the website.

Performance Cookies

Other cookies may be used to analyze how users use the site and to monitor site performance. This allows us to provide a high-quality experience by customizing the offering and quickly identifying and fixing any issues that arise. For example, performance cookies may be used to keep track of which pages are most popular and to determine why some pages are receiving error messages.

Functionality Cookies

Functionality cookies are used to allow us to remember users’ preferences and tailor the website to provide enhanced features.

Targeting Cookies

Targeting cookies are used to serve users with content and advertisements, and to collect information about users’ browsing habits and usage of the website in order to make advertisements more relevant to users and their interests. We may use remarketing technologies to enable third parties to display relevant and personalized ads to users through their networks. They are also used to limit the number of times users see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign.

Social Media Cookies

These cookies allow users to share what they’ve been doing on the website on social media such as Facebook and Instagram. These cookies are not within our control. Please refer to the respective privacy policies for how their cookies work.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a web analysis service provided by Google, Inc. We use Google Analytics to monitor how visitors use our website, to compile reports and to help us improve the website. Please see Google’s privacy policy here for further information on the data Google collects and how it is processed. If you prefer to not have data reported by Google Analytics, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On by following the instructions here.

You may opt-out of Google’s use of tracking technologies by visiting the Google advertising opt-out page here.

B. Disclosure of Data

Hettich may share users’ Personal Information with its associates, affiliates and third parties with whom is has a business relationship for the purpose of providing products and services, marketing or advertising, subject to applicable privacy laws discussed below. We may disclose specific information about our website users as permitted or required by law, or as necessary to conform or comply with the law or to protect this site, its users, or the public.

Hettich works with certain third parties (including network advertisers, ad agencies, and analytics companies) to provide us with information regarding traffic on the Sites, to serve advertisements, including our advertisements elsewhere online, and to provide us with information regarding the use of the Sites and the effectiveness of our advertisements. For example, if you clicked on one of our advertisements that led you to one of the Sites, our service provider(s) may be able to tell us which advertisement you clicked on and where you were viewing the advertisement. These third parties may set and access their own tracking technologies (including cookies, embedded scripts, and web beacons) and may otherwise collect or have access to your Device Identifier, Usage Data, and related information about you. Cookies and web beacons, including those set by third-party network advertisers, may be used to, among other things, target advertisements, prevent you from seeing the same advertisements too many times, conduct research regarding the usefulness of certain advertisements to you, and assist in providing analytics. We may share Device Identifier and Usage Data about visitors with third-party advertising companies, analytics providers, and other vendors for similar purposes.

These third parties may also transfer Device Identifier and Usage Data to other third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process analytics information on their behalf. Each of these third party’s ability to use and share Device Identifier and Usage Data is restricted by their respective Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. By using our Sites, you consent to the processing of data about you by these third parties in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

II. Compliance with European Privacy Regulations

Hettich is a “Controller” of personal data within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (“GDPR”).  “European Personal Data” refers to data that directly or indirectly relates to an identified or identifiable individual located in Europe. For the purpose of this Privacy Policy, “Your Data” is European Personal Data that directly or indirectly relates to you.

A. Your Rights Relating to Your Personal Data

Under the GDPR, you have the right to access Your Data (Art. 15). You have the right to have Your Data amended, or on specific grounds have such data erased (Art. 16-17, GDPR). You have the right to restrict or object to the processing of Your Data (Art. 18, GDPR; Art. 21, GDPR).

All communication with Hettich regarding your rights under the GDPR and this Privacy and Data Protection Policy should be directed to:

Phone Number: 978-232-3957
Email: privacy@hettweb.com

B. Lawful Basis for Processing

As a Controller, Hettich can only process Your Data for a permissible lawful basis (Art. 6, GDPR). With respect to data that has been provided through forms on our Registration and Products pages, our legal ground for processing Your Data is our legitimate interest in establishing communication between Hettich and you as a representative of your company, as well the legitimate interest of your company in establishing communication with us. Your contrary interests may outweigh our legitimate interest if, for example, you no longer need to communicate with Hettich as you are no longer a representative of such company.  In the event that your contrary interest outweighs our legitimate interest, please refer to Section II(A) of this policy.

With respect to Your Data automatically collected from our website, the legal ground for processing such data is our legitimate interest in maintaining the web services in full function. Additionally, Hettich has a legitimate interest in using cookies to analyze your use of our website.

C. California Residents – Your California Privacy Rights

Pursuant to California Civil Code Section 1798.83, residents of the State of California have the right to request from companies conducting business in California certain information regarding Hettich’s disclosure within the immediately preceding calendar year of that California resident’s Personal Information to third parties (and in some cases, affiliates) for their direct marketing purposes.

If you are a California resident and you have questions about our practices with respect to sharing information with third parties and affiliates for their direct marketing purposes, please send your request to the following email address: privacy@hettweb.com or write to us at the following mailing address: Hettich Instruments, 100 Cummings Center, Ste. 136L, Beverly, Massachusetts 01915. You must put the statement “Your California Privacy Rights” in the subject field of your e-mail or include it in your writing if you choose to write to us at the designated mailing address. You must include your name, street address, city, state, and ZIP code. We are not responsible for notices that are not labeled or sent properly or do not have complete information.

D.Users Outside of the United States and International Transfers

The Sites are operated in the United States, and Hettich and third-party service providers and partners operate in the United States and other jurisdictions. If you are located outside of the United States, please be aware that any information you provide to us may be transferred to and processed in the United States and other countries. By using the Site, or providing us with any information, you consent to this transfer, processing, and storage of your information in countries where the privacy laws may not be as comprehensive as those in the country where you reside or are a citizen.

III. Third Party Content, Links to Other Websites, and Content Found Outside the Sites 

The Sites may include links to third-party websites, embedded content, plug-ins, and applications, and certain content on the Sites may be hosted and served by third parties that Hettich does not control. Clicking on those links, viewing or accessing embedded content (such as videos, gifs, or audio files), or enabling those connections may allow third parties to collect or share information about you. We do not control these third-party websites and are not responsible for their privacy statements. When you leave the Sites, we encourage you to read the privacy policy of every website you visit.

In addition, Hettich content may be included on web pages and websites that are not associated with Hettich and over which we have no control. These third parties may collect data through the use of their own cookies, web beacons, or other technology, independently collect information or solicit Personal Information, and may have the ability to track your use of their websites and services. Hettich is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of any third party.

We reserve the right, at any time and without notice, to add to, change, update or modify this Privacy Policy, simply by posting such change, update, or modification on the Sites. Any such change, update, or modification will be effective immediately upon posting on the Sites. However, unless you consent, Hettich will not use your Personal Information in a manner materially different than what is stated in our posted Privacy Policy. Please check this Privacy Policy regularly to ensure you are aware of any changes in our practices.

It is important that the Personal Information we hold about you is accurate and current. Please keep us informed if your Personal Information changes during your relationship with us. You are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of the information you submit to us, such as your contact information. If you contact us with changes, we will make good faith efforts to make requested changes in our then-active databases as soon as reasonably practicable. Note, however, that information may persist internally for our administrative purposes and that residual data may remain on backup media or for other reasons.

The Sites are not intended for children and we do not knowingly collect information relating to children. If Hettich discovers that it has inadvertently collected Personal Information from anyone younger than the age of 16, it will delete that information.

Last Updated: March 20, 2019