Privacy protection

As at: September 2022

The ebm‑papst Group thanks you for visiting our websites and for your interest in our company and our products. We take the protection of your private sphere very seriously. We at ebm‑papst consider it to be part of the company's responsibility to protect information and data with which the company has been entrusted. To provide you with the assurance you require when visiting our websites, we strictly observe the legal regulations with regard to the processing of your personal data. You will find detailed information on how we handle your data in the following.

1. Who is responsible for processing your data?

ebm‑papst Mulfingen GmbH & Co. KG, Bachmühle 2, 74673 Mulfingen is responsible for processing your data when you visit this website.

You can contact the data protection officer at ebm‑papst Mulfingen GmbH & Co. KG at the above-mentioned postal address, for the attention of the data protection officer, and by sending an e-mail to: datenschutz-epm@de.ebmpapst.com.

2. When does ebm‑papst gather data about you?

We gather a certain amount of data to enable us to provide you with content appropriate to your needs. You can visit our websites without having to divulge any personal details. Only technical access data is stored in so-called server log files, including the name of the file requested, the date and time of the query, the volume of data transmitted and the provider making the inquiry, for example. This data is evaluated solely for the purpose of ensuring trouble-free operation of the site and to improve the content.

Specifically, we gather personal data

  • On registration for individual customer access
  • From online job applications
  • From subscriptions to our Newsletter
  • In contact and service inquiry forms
  • On registration for webinars with a form
  • On registration for postal deliveries of any kind with a form
  • From e-mail/phone correspondence
  • In connection with registrations for webinars, company events, trade fairs and other events
  • When holding company events and trade fairs, in the form of photos and videos
  • During the development of business relationships or when you express interest in our products and services

In particular, the data involved include:

  • Essential data required to perform and provide services (e.g. name and address, e-mail address, phone number)
  • Data relating to payments
  • Correspondence (e.g. paper or e-mail correspondence with you)
  • Advertising and sales data (e.g. invitations to trade fairs or information about new and potentially interesting offers)
  • Data in connection with your use of the website
  • Date in connection with third-party tools (e.g. chats)

The particular data gathered in each case can be seen from the applicable input forms. We use the data you enter for contract performance, for the provision of services and for processing your inquiries.

3. For what purposes does ebm‑papst use the data?

3.1 For the fulfillment of contractual obligations (Art. 6 Para. 1 Point b GDPR)

Through the use of your data, ebm‑papst aspires to provide you with the best possible service. We have a responsible attitude towards handling your data. For example, we use your data

  • For processing your service requests
  • For making offers and processing orders and deliveries
  • To send you our e-mail Newsletter if you have ordered it

3.2 In connection with the weighing of interests (Art. 6 Para. 1 Point f GDPR)

We may also use your data in the context of a weighing of interests to safeguard the legitimate (generally economic) interests of our company or of third parties; wherever possible the data will be processed in pseudonymized or anonymized form. This is done for the following purposes, among others:

  • Monitoring, optimization and further enhancement of services and products
  • Advertising activities, market and opinion research
  • Invitations to trade fairs and other events
  • Providing information about new and potentially interesting offers and products
  • Assertion of legal claims and defense in the case of legal disputes
  • Detection, prevention and prosecution of criminal offenses
  • To guarantee the security and operational reliability of our IT systems

3.3 By reason of your consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 Point a GDPR)

Insofar as you have given your consent for us to process your data, the respective consent forms the legal basis for the processing covered by the consent. This applies in particular to any consent to telephone or e-mail marketing you may have granted.

You can withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. It is possible to unsubscribe from the Newsletter at any time, either by sending a message to the above-mentioned contact addresses or using a link provided for this purpose in the Newsletter.

3.4 For the fulfillment of legal obligations (Art. 6 Para. 1 Point c GDPR)

We are bound by various legal obligations, e.g. legal obligations to preserve business records.

4. Contests

When you take part in one of our contests, we will process the following personal data: First and last name, salutation, date of birth, e-mail address, postal address. We process the personal data of participants in order to carry out contests; this includes confirming your eligibility to participate and selecting and informing the winners. If we do not gather the aforementioned information, neither participation in the contest nor notification in the event of a win are possible. We also process participant addresses in order to be able to pursue possible copyright infringements associated with photo uploads. Winners will be notified by e-mail after completion of the contest.

Data processing takes place exclusively for the purpose of conducting the contest. Thus the legal basis for processing personal data to fulfill this obligation is Article 6 (1) (b) of the GDPR.

We analyze the results of contests in order to measure the efficiency and relevance of campaigns. We assess the effectiveness of contests in order to improve our marketing activities on an ongoing basis in your interest and to plan new campaigns. The legal basis for the described data processing is Article 6 (1) (f) of the GDPR (weighing of interests, based on our interest in assessing the effectiveness of contests).

Should we be informed of a copyright infringement, we need your data in order to take action against it. The legal basis for the described data processing is Article 6 (1) (f) of the GDPR (weighing of interests, based on the interest in prosecuting possible copyright infringements).

After completion of the contest, your data which was processed by us for the purposes of the contest will as a rule be deleted within 30 days. However, so that we can prosecute possible copyright infringements of which we are notified, we will store your data relating to photo competitions for a year.

5. Passing-on of your data

Your data will only ever be used to the extent required. If necessary, your data may be passed on within the ebm‑papst Group. Insofar as external service providers are involved in the operation of this website (hosting providers), the external service providers will only be given access to your data to the extent necessary for them to be able to perform their tasks and functions.

Insofar as these service providers process your data outside the European Union, this may result in your data being transmitted to a country that does not apply the same privacy protection standards as the European Union. In such cases we will ensure that the recipients of your data guarantee a level of privacy protection equivalent to that of the European Union, either by contractual means or in some other form. 

6. Security of your data

As a safeguard, your data will be transmitted in encrypted form (SSL / HTTPS), using the latest secure encryption techniques. We also employ technical and organizational means to secure our websites and other systems to prevent the loss, destruction, accessing, manipulation, and distribution of your data by unauthorized persons. Whenever possible, we use pseudonymized or anonymized data.

7. Why does this website use cookies?

On various pages we employ cookies to make our website attractive to visit and to permit the use of certain functions. These are small text files that are stored on your end device. Some of the cookies we use (so-called session cookies) are deleted again at the end of the browser session, in other words when you close your browser. Other cookies remain on your end device and enable us to recognize your browser on your next visit (persistent cookies). You can adjust your browser settings so that you are informed about the placement of cookies and can decide on a case-to-case basis whether to accept these, or to refuse the acceptance of cookies in certain cases or in general. The functionality of our website may be restricted in the event of non-acceptance of cookies.

8. Analytical web services from Google (Universal) Analytics

This website uses Google (Universal) Analytics, an analytical web service provided by Google Inc. (www.google.de). Google (Universal) Analytics employs methods that permit analysis of how you use the website, including so-called "cookies", text files that are stored on your computer, for example. The information generated on your use of this website is generally transmitted to a Google server in the USA, where it is stored. Through activation of IP anonymization on this website, the IP address will be abbreviated prior to transmission within the members states of the European Union or in other states that are party to 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 abbreviated there. No connection will be established between the anonymized IP address transmitted by your browser when using Google Analytics and other Google data.

You can prevent the gathering of the data generated by the cookie and relating to your use of the website (incl. your IP address) at Google, as well as processing of this data by Google, by clicking this link to prevent future data acquisition by Google Analytics on this website. An opt-out cookie will then be stored on your end device. If you delete your cookies, you have to click the link again.

Alternatively you can install a browser plug-in that prevents the gathering and processing of the cookie data by Google. You can download the browser plug-in here: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

9. Use of Google Ads

Our website makes use of Google conversion tracking. If you have accessed our website via an advertisement placed by Google, Google Ads will place a cookie on your computer. The conversion tracking cookie is placed when a user clicks an advertisement placed by Google. These cookies become invalid after 30 days and do not serve the purpose of personal identification. If a user visits certain pages of our website and the cookie has not yet expired, we and Google can detect that the user has clicked the advertisement and has been re-directed to this page. Every Google Ads customer is given a different cookie. Cookies can therefore not be tracked via the websites of Ads customers. The information obtained with the help of the conversion cookie is used to produce conversion statistics for Ads customers who have decided to use conversion tracking. The customers are informed of the total number of users who have clicked their advertisement and been re-directed to a page provided with a conversion tracking tag. They do not however receive any information with which users can be personally identified.

If you do not wish to participate in tracking, you can refuse placement of the cookie required for this – for instance by making a browser setting that deactivates the automatic placing of cookies in general or by setting your browser such that cookies from the domain "googleleadservices.com" are blocked. Please note that you must not delete the opt-out cookies for as long as you want to avoid the recording of measurement data. If you have deleted all your cookies in the browser, you will have to set the corresponding opt-out cookie again.

10. Use of Google remarketing

This website uses the Google Inc. remarketing function. The purpose of this function is to present visitors to the website with advertisements related to their interests within the scope of the Google advertising network. A so-called "cookie" is stored in the browser of the visitor to the website. This makes it possible to recognize the visitor on calling up websites belonging to the Google advertising network. On these websites, the visitor can be presented with advertisements relating to content previously called up by the visitor on websites that use the Google remarketing function. Google states that it does not capture any personal data during this action. If you do not want the Google remarketing function, you can however deactivate it by making the relevant settings at https://adssettings.google.com/anonymous. Alternatively, you can deactivate the use of cookies for interest-based advertising via the Network Advertising Initiative by following the instructions at https://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp. Further information on Google remarketing and the Google privacy policy is available at: https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads.

11. Use of Google web fonts

External Google Fonts are incorporated into our websites to be sure of obtaining a graphically appealing presentation. Google Fonts is a service provided by Google Inc. ("Google"). These web fonts are incorporated via a server request, usually to a Google server in the USA. In doing so, information on which of our websites you have visited is transmitted to the server. The IP address of the visitor to these websites is additionally stored by Google. The fonts are stored in the cache of your browser, thus preventing multiple loading. This has a positive effect on the speed at which our websites are loaded.

Further details can be found in the Google privacy policy, available at: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

12. Use of Google Maps

Our websites use Google Maps to visually present geographical information. On using Google Maps, Google Inc. also captures, processes and makes use of data on the utilization of the map functions by visitors. Further information on data processing by Google can be found at: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

13. Use of YouTube videos

YouTube videos are embedded in some of our websites. The corresponding plug-ins are operated by YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA 94066, USA. If you visit a site with the YouTube plug-in, a link is established with the YouTube servers. This informs YouTube about the sites you visit. If you are logged into your YouTube account, YouTube can assign your surfing behavior to you personally. You can avoid this by logging out of your YouTube account beforehand. On starting a YouTube video, the provider inserts cookies that gather information on user behavior. If you have deactivated the storage of cookies for the Google Ad program, you will not have to expect any such cookies when viewing YouTube videos either. YouTube does however store non-personalized usage information in other cookies as well. If you wish to prevent this, you have to block the storage of cookies in the browser. Further information on "YouTube" privacy protection can be found in the privacy policy of the provider at: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

14. Use of social plug-ins

14.1 Social media buttons

On our website we offer you the option of using so-called "social media buttons". These buttons are only incorporated into the website in the form of a graphic containing a link to the corresponding website of the button provider. On clicking the graphic you will thus be re-directed to the services of the providers concerned. Only then will your data be transmitted to the providers concerned. No exchange will take place between you and the providers of the social media buttons if you do not click the graphic. Information on the capture and use of your data on social media can be found in the usage conditions of the corresponding providers.

We have incorporated the social media buttons of the following companies into our website:

Facebook Inc. (1601 S. California Ave - Palo Alto - CA 94304 - USA)
Twitter Inc. (795 Folsom St. - Suite 600 - San Francisco - CA 94107 - USA)
XING AG (Gänsemarkt 43 - 20354 Hamburg - Germany)
LinkedIn Corporation (1000 W Maude – Sunnyvale - CA 94085 – USA)

14.2 LinkedIn Insight Tag

This website uses the LinkedIn Insight Tag from the LinkedIn Corporation, 1000 W Maude – Sunnyvale - CA 94085 – USA, to enable detailed campaign reporting. The LinkedIn Insight Tag enables data to be collected about visits to this website, including URL, referrer URL, IP address, device and browser properties (user agent), and time stamps.

Members’ direct identifiers are removed within seven days to pseudonymize the data. This remaining pseudonymized data is then deleted within 90 days.

LinkedIn does not share any personally identifiable information with the owner of this website, but only provides reports and communications (in which you are not identified) about website audience and ad performance. LinkedIn also provides retargeting for website visitors so that the website owner can use this data to display targeted advertising outside of its website without the member being identified. We also use data that does not identify you to improve the relevance of ads and reach members across devices. Members of LinkedIn can control the use of their personal data for advertising purposes in their account settings: https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/advertising/actions-that-showed-interest

For more information about the LinkedIn Insight Tag please visit https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a420536/linkedin-conversion-trackingubersicht or see LinkedIn’s privacy policy at https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy

14.3 Facebook Pixel

We are using the “Facebook pixel” from the social network Facebook, which is operated by Facebook Inc., 1601 South California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA, or, if you are located in the EU, Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland, (“Facebook”), on our website. The Facebook pixel enables Facebook to identify you as part of the target group as a visitor to our website for the purpose of targeting adverts (“Facebook ads”). Accordingly, we use the Facebook pixel to target Facebook ads we have taken out only to Facebook users who have also shown an interest in our website or who have certain characteristics (e.g. interest in certain topics or products determined based on the websites visited) which we pass on to Facebook (“Custom Audiences”). Using the Facebook pixel, we also want to ensure that our Facebook ads match users’ potential interest and are not irritating to them. Using the Facebook pixel, we can further understand the effectiveness of the Facebook ads for statistical and market research purposes. In this process we can see whether users have been forwarded to our website after clicking on a Facebook ad ("conversion"). For this purpose, we only receive statistical data from Facebook that does not refer to a specific person. If you do not want Facebook to directly assign the collected information to your Facebook user account, you can deactivate the Custom Audiences remarketing function here: www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads]. To do this, you must be logged onto Facebook. Facebook privacy policy: https://www.facebook.com/policy.php

The legal basis for the use of Facebook pixel is your consent in the context of cookie information. If you consent to it, the collection, storage, and analysis of your personal data takes place according to Art. 6(1)(2)(a) GDPR. Of course, you can also revoke your consent at any time in the cookie settings section at the bottom left on the screen on our website via the widget.

15. Use of cookies - Aumago GmbH

We work together with Aumago GmbH, a provider of web analytics and target group marketing. Aumago uses so-called cookies, a text file that is stored in the browser of the computer and captures/contains anonymous usage data. Usage profiles can be created under a pseudonym from these data. Personal data is however not gathered. Any IP addresses recorded are stored in anonymized form by deleting the last number block, and are not combined with the cookies. The cookies are either Aumago cookies or cookies from service providers used by Aumago, such as krux digital Inc., Google Inc. etc. Users can delete the cookies directly in their browser at any time. Aumago uses this data to evaluate usage of the website by visitors and for the purpose of usage-based online advertising (OBA).

16. Use of tools at virtual fairs

We use the tools of the following companies at virtual trade fairs and on our event platform (dxp.ebmpapst.com). Participation in a virtual event is only possible as a registered user. By participating/registering on an event platform, you agree to the use of the tools and evaluation of the use of the platform on a user basis (analytics):

Information on the capture and use of your data can be found in the privacy policies and usage conditions of the corresponding providers.

17. Hotjar

We use Hotjar to better understand the needs of our users, and to optimize our offering and user experience on this website. Hotjar’s technology helps us 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 don’t like, etc.) and this helps us tailor our offering to our users’ feedback. Hotjar uses cookies and other technologies to collect data about the behavior of our users and their terminal devices, in particular, the device’s IP address (collected and stored only in anonymized form during your website use), screen size, device type (unique device identifiers), information about the browser used, location (country only), and 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.

For more information, see the ‘About Hotjar’ section on Hotjar’s help page.

18. Use of Salesforce Pardot

For carrying out marketing activities, for analysis purposes and for addressing users in a way that is specific to target groups, on our website we use the Marketing Automation Tool from Salesforce Pardot (Pardot LLC, 950 E. Paces Ferry Rd. Suite 3300 Atlanta, GA 30326 USA - a company of Salesforce)  – hereinafter referred to as "Pardot”.  

The system’s components integrated into our online offer (e.g. forms, e-mail dispatch) use "first-party cookies", which are stored on the user's computer and which enable us to analyze the use of the website. Pardot will use the data and information obtained via our website on our behalf to analyze the user behavior of the data subject who has used our website. Pardot will also use the data to compile reports on user activities on our behalf and to provide other services for our company that are related to the use of our website. Certain usage data is linked to you and stored in our system. This enables us to provide you with information and offers tailored specifically to your interests. In particular, the following information is compiled: Host name, geographical location, type of browser, duration of visit and page accessed. 

Newsletters sent with Pardot contain web beacons. These are tiny graphics that allow analysis of user behavior, such as opening and reading e-mails and clicking on links. This enables us to make the content we offer more relevant and interesting for you.

If you have consented to setting statistics and personalization cookies, the legal basis for the collection, storage and evaluation of your personal data is based on your consent pursuant to Art. 6 (1) sentence 1 (a) GDPR. 

You can permanently prevent or delete cookies being set by our website at any time using a relevant setting on the Internet browser used. 

Users can find further information on data protection in Pardot's privacy notice https://www.salesforce.com/eu/gdpr/pardot/.

19. When will your data be deleted?

We delete your personal data as soon as it is no longer needed for the aforementioned purposes. As soon as your personal data is no longer needed for the aforementioned purposes, it will be blocked from further use and deleted at the end of the retention periods stipulated by tax law and commercial law, insofar as you have not expressly consented to further utilization of your data or as we reserve the right to data utilization after said retention periods in a way permitted by law and described in this privacy policy. What are your privacy protection rights?

20. What are your privacy protection rights?

Subject to the applicable legal prerequisites, you have the right of access (Art. 15 GDPR), rectification (Art. 16 GDPR), erasure (Art. 17 GDPR), restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR) and data portability (Art. 20 GDPR) vis-à-vis ebm‑papst. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (Art. 77 GDPR).

If you have given ebm‑papst your consent, you can withdraw this at any time with effect for the future.

Insofar as ebm‑papst processes your data in the context of a weighing of interests, you can object to such processing. If you lodge a protest, your data will no longer be processed, unless the company responsible can furnish proof of compelling legitimate grounds for processing that outweigh your interests, rights and liberties, or insofar as processing serves the purpose of asserting, exercising or defending legal claims.

21. Analytical web services from Baidu Analytics

We use Baidu Analytics to analyze the use of our website. Baidu Analytics generates statistical and other information about website use by means of cookies, which are stored on users' computers. The information generated relating to our website is used to create reports about the use of our website, which will be stored by Baidu. If the above information is used any purposed not specified, your prior consent shall be required.

We have put in place security measures to prevent unauthorized access to your data. However, you should also confirm that we could not control the transfer of data over electronic communications facilities by any third party, including the Internet. Therefore, under no circumstances shall we be liable to any liability for security breaches or unauthorized disclosure or use of such data that occur on the Internet caused by any third party. You can set your browser to refuse to accept cookies and Baidu Analytics, but doing so which may prevent you from taking full advantage of the services on the website.