Aebi Schmidt Holding AG, having its registered office in Frauenfeld, Switzerland, together with its affiliated companies belonging to the Aebi Schmidt Group (hereinafter referred to as ‘Aebi Schmidt’, ‘us’, or ‘we’), agrees to protect and respect your privacy. Aebi Schmidt takes the protection of your data very seriously. In the following, we set out which data we collect and how we use it.

The data controller for the data processing is:
Aebi Schmidt Holding AG
Schulstrasse 4
8500 Frauenfeld
Switzerland

Aebi Schmidt would like you to feel safe when using our website and to be informed about when, for what purposes, and which of your personal data is processed.

Aebi Schmidt reserves the right to amend this privacy policy from time to time. You should therefore read these data protection provisions regularly. You can find the date of the version currently in force (valid from) at the start of this privacy notice.

Our data protection practices may vary between the different countries in which we operate in order to take account of local customs and legal requirements.

3.1 What is personal data?

Personal data is all information relating to a specific or identifiable natural person (e.g. name, address, telephone number, date of birth or email address). In general, you can use our website without providing any personal data. The use of the website may require personal data to be provided. Personal data will therefore not be processed as a matter of course but rather only in certain circumstances and for certain purposes.

3.2 When is personal data processed?

In order to provide and operate the website, we or third parties process personal data within the scope of:

• Websites (incl. blogs): Personal data is processed via log files, cookies, analysis tools, social media plug-ins and other technical aids that are necessary for the operation of the website.
• Contact forms: Personal data is processed via contact forms within the course of feedback, enquiries or other services that may be handled using our website.
• Newsletter: Personal data is processed in connection with your registration for the newsletter
   

3.3 For what purposes is personal data processed?

Aebi Schmidt processes personal data for the following purposes:

• Provision of the website for users
• Website optimisation (e.g. statistical evaluation, trend analysis, website improvement)
• Personalisation of the website for users
• Sending of the newsletter
• Data security for users
• Processing of all types of enquiries (users, suppliers, etc.)
   

3.4 What is the legal basis for the data processing?

Where we obtain your consent to the processing of personal data, this serves as the legal basis for processing (e.g. newsletter, personalisation of the website through cookie settings).

We also process your personal data on the basis of our legitimate interest. This includes processing for the purpose of providing and optimising the website.

Where personal data is processed on the basis of a legal obligation, this serves as the legal basis. For example, this may be the case for transfer of personal data to third parties, storage times or retention periods.

4.1 Is personal data transferred to third parties?

In general, we only pass your personal data on to third parties if you have given us your consent, where we have a legitimate interest, or if it is necessary in order to process your enquiry.

In addition, your data may be passed to third parties where we are required to do so because of legal provisions or are ordered to do so by the authorities or by a court of law.

4.2 Are third-party service providers also used?

We also use external service providers for data processing. Service providers are generally involved as ‘processors’ who are permitted to process the personal data of the users of our website only in accordance with our instructions.

4.3 Is personal data passed on to recipients in third countries?

We also make personal data available to third parties or processors who are not based in the EU/EEA or Switzerland. In this case, we either ensure before the transfer that the recipient guarantees an adequate level of data protection (e.g. on the basis of an adequacy decision for the country concerned or the application of the European Union’s standard contractual clauses) or that you, as the user, have given your consent.

If it is necessary in order to respond to your enquiry, we pass your data on to the relevant Aebi Schmidt representative or to third parties. The data protection provisions of the relevant country apply. Of course, we strive to process your data as far as possible in line with the European data protection provisions but this cannot be guaranteed in every case. By giving your consent, you accept the risks associated with the transfer of your data to the respective third-party company, insofar as this is necessary to respond to your enquiry. If you do not provide your consent, this may mean that we are unable to respond to your enquiry. In this case, please feel free to contact us by telephone contact.

We store your personal data for as long as is necessary to provide our website services or for as long as we have a legitimate interest in continuing to store it. In all other cases, we delete your personal data, with the exception of data that we are required to retain in order to comply with legal obligations (e.g. retention requirements).

6.1.1 Log files

When accessing our website, certain data is automatically transferred by your internet browser and stored by us in so-called log files:

• IP address
• Date and time of server request
• Browser settings, browser type and version
• Content of the request (specific page)
• Access status/HTTP status code
• Information transferred about operating system
• Name of the retrieved file
• Time difference to Greenwich Mean Time

This usage data forms part of the basis for statistical, anonymous evaluations for the purposes of trend recognition, which Aebi Schmidt may use to improve its website accordingly.

6.1.2 Purpose of the log files

Personal data is stored for security reasons or for the investigation of errors. It is stored for up to six months and then erased. Log files are excepted from the requirement to erase if it is necessary to continue retaining them for evidential purposes until such time as the respective incident is finally resolved, and may in individual cases be disclosed to investigatory authorities.

6.2.1 What are cookies?

Cookies are small data files that are sent when visiting a website and stored in the user's browser. If the relevant website is accessed again, the user’s browser sends the content of the cookies back and thereby enables the user to be recognised.

6.2.2 How long are cookies stored in the browser?

Certain cookies are deleted automatically when the browser session finishes (known as session cookies). Others are stored for a certain time or for a longer period in the user’s browser and are deleted automatically afterwards (known as temporary or permanent cookies).

6.2.3 Preventing the use of cookies or deleting cookies?

You can use the following link to see the activation status regarding the cookies of different providers and to object to the collection and/or evaluation of your data through such cookies: www.youronlinechoices.com

The following link takes you to a central point for opting out of various cookies, especially those of providers in the USA: www.optout.networkadvertising.org

6.2.4 Which cookies do we use and for what purpose?

We use cookies to make our website more user-friendly and (where desired) personalised, as well as to measure and evaluate the use of our services. Some elements of our website require the browser accessing it to be identifiable even after changing pages. In addition, we use cookies on our website which enable us to analyse user browsing behaviour. Our YouTube video cookies are run on our website using the privacy-friendly ‘youtube-nocookie’ version (https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/171780?hl=en-GB#zippy=%2Cturn-on-privacy-enhanced-mode).

6.2.5 Mandatory cookies

Certain cookies are necessary for us to be able to provide our website. The cookies that fall into this category are those which:

• allow us to identify or authenticate users
• temporarily store certain user input (e.g. content of a contact form, newsletter form)
• save certain user preferences (e.g. language settings)
• allow videos and sound recordings to be played (e.g. blog posts)
   

6.2.6 Analysis cookies

We use analysis cookies in order to be able to assess the behaviour of our users in statistical form (e.g. which pages are visited, search terms entered).

6.2.7 Tracking cookies in connection with social plug-ins

The integration of social plug-ins results in the storage of cookies by the plug-in provider.

We use statistical information about the use of our website in order to be able to make it more user-friendly, analyse trends and otherwise manage and improve the website.

The user profiles created by the tool using analysis cookies, or through evaluation of the log files, are not linked to personal data. The tool either does not use the IP addresses of users at all or, if it does, it truncates them immediately after collection. We use open-source software from the web analysis provider Matomo and only store your personal data on our own server. Your personal data is not passed on to the web analysis provider Matomo.

When using opt-out cookies, it must be ensured that the opt-out function relates to a device or a browser and, in general, applies only to the end device or browser currently being used. In addition, you can prevent the creation of user profiles completely by disabling the use of cookies on a general basis. If you have activated cookies and subsequently wish to opt out of the collection or evaluation of your data by this tool, you can adjust your settings here.

6.4.1 What are social plug-ins?

Plug-ins can be used to integrate social media into our website for the benefit of our users by using a plug-in.

By default, the plug-in’s functions are deactivated in order to prevent the automatic transfer of user data to the providers. The plug-in is only activated, and data is only transferred, once the user clicks on the plug-in. Log files (including IP addresses) are then sent by your internet browser directly to a server belonging to the relevant plug-in provider and may be stored there. This server may be located outside of the EU or the EEA (e.g. in the USA).

6.4.2 Preventing the activation of plug-ins?

If you do not want any data to be exchanged with social media, you should log out of social media before using our website. You should also activate private mode in your browser settings.

It also helps to deactivate or restrict cookies in your browser settings. This prevents third parties from being able to trace your user behaviour. In general, you can also completely prevent plug-ins from loading by using add-ons for your browser (known as script blockers).

6.4.3 Does Aebi Schmidt have control over the scope of the data processing through plug-ins?

Plug-ins are independent extensions belonging to the plug-in provider. Aebi Schmidt therefore has no control over the scope of the data that is collected and stored by the provider of the plug-in. If one of the specified plug-in providers has placed cookies on your device, it may generally record your surfing habits and use tracking data to create detailed user profiles.

You can find further information about the purpose and scope of collection and the further processing and use of your data by plug-in providers, as well as your rights and configuration options to protect your data, in the privacy policy of the relevant plug-in provider. In the course of using our website, we use a plug-in from the following provider:

• YouTube plug-ins: YouTube is operated by YouTube Inc., 300 Sand Hill Rd, BLDG Suite 180, Menlo Park CA 94025, USA; https://policies.google.com/privacy. We use the privacy friendly ‘youtube-nocookie’ version here to play videos on our website (e.g. blog) (https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/171780?hl=en-GB#zippy=%2Cturn-on-privacy-enhanced-mode).
• Google plug-ins: We offer a directions service on our website that uses Google Maps (hereinafter referred to as ’Google’). This redirects you to the Google Maps website. Please note that Google provides this map service to you under its own responsibility. We are not responsible for data processing by Google. This is a service of Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043 USA. If you access integrated services on our website, Google stores a cookie on your end device via your internet browser. In order to show the locations and create directions, your user settings and user data are processed. Through the connection established with Google, Google can detect which website your enquiry has been sent from and to which IP address the directions are to be sent. If you do not agree to this processing, you have the option to prevent the installation of cookies through the relevant settings in your internet browser. You can find Google’s privacy policy notice at: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en. 

You can use contact forms to contact us directly, ask us questions, share feedback or generally use the services that we provide on our website.

In general, the mandatory details we collect in order to process your enquiry or request are your title, first name, surname, email address and country. Mandatory details are always identified with an asterisk (*). If it is necessary for the processing of the enquiry, we may collect other data as mandatory data.

You can find out what data is collected, including the mandatory fields, directly in the relevant contact form on our website. Alternatively, you can get in touch with us via the email address provided. In that case, the personal details sent with your email will be stored. The personal data will only be used for the purposes indicated and, if necessary, transferred to the appropriate Aebi Schmidt company to deal with your request. The data processed for the communication is not transferred to third parties outside of Aebi Schmidt unless this is strictly necessary in order to be able to respond to your enquiry (see section 4) and you have given your consent to this. We delete data that you send us via contact forms as soon as it is no longer necessary for us to store it.