Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how VC Fertigteile GmbH ("VC Fertigteile", "we", "us" or "our") collects, uses, stores, shares and protects personal data when you visit vcfertigteile.org, subscribe to our newsletter, complete forms, use interactive features or contact us. We are committed to handling your information responsibly and in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) and applicable European data protection law.

Please read this policy carefully. By using our website you acknowledge that you have read this Privacy Policy. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

1. Data controller

The data controller responsible for your personal data is:

VC Fertigteile GmbH
Am Seemannsheim 6
26723 Emden
Germany
Email: info@vcfertigteile.org

If you have questions about this policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, contact us using the details above. We will respond within the timeframes required by law.

2. Scope of this policy

This policy applies to personal data processed through vcfertigteile.org and related communication channels operated by VC Fertigteile GmbH. It does not apply to third-party websites linked from our pages — those services have their own privacy policies. Our website provides independent informational content about prefabricated construction and modular planning; we are not a regulated construction contractor, financial adviser or legal practice.

3. Categories of personal data we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may process the following categories of personal data:

Identity and contact data — name, email address, telephone number, postal address and country when you contact us or subscribe to communications.
Communication data — content of messages, enquiry subject, attachments you choose to send and records of our replies.
Newsletter and marketing data — email address, subscription status, consent records, open and click rates where permitted and your communication preferences.
Technical and usage data — IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, referring URL, pages viewed, session duration, language settings and approximate location derived from IP (city/region level).
Cookie and similar technology data — identifiers stored via cookies, local storage or comparable technologies as described in our Cookie Policy.
Quiz and interactive feature data — responses you provide in on-site quizzes or tools, stored locally or submitted if you choose to share results with us.

We do not intentionally collect special categories of personal data (such as health data, biometric data or information revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs or trade union membership). Please do not include such information in contact forms unless necessary — if you do, we will use it only to respond to your enquiry and delete it when no longer required.

4. How we collect personal data

We collect personal data in the following ways:

Directly from you when you submit contact forms, subscribe to newsletters, email us, request information or participate in surveys.
Automatically when you browse our website, through server logs, cookies and analytics tools (where you have consented to non-essential cookies).
From third parties such as email delivery providers (delivery status), hosting providers (security logs) and analytics platforms (aggregated usage statistics where consented).

5. Purposes and legal bases for processing

We process personal data only where a legal basis under Article 6 GDPR applies. The table below summarises our main processing activities:

Purpose	Legal basis
Operating and securing the website	Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)) — ensuring availability, security and abuse prevention, balanced against your rights
Responding to enquiries and providing support	Legitimate interests and, where relevant, steps prior to a contract (Article 6(1)(b)/(f))
Sending newsletters and marketing emails	Consent (Article 6(1)(a)) — withdraw via unsubscribe link or email
Analytics to improve content and navigation	Consent (Article 6(1)(a)) where cookies are non-essential
Storing cookie preferences	Legitimate interests and, where required, consent
Complying with legal obligations	Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c)) — e.g. tax, accounting, regulatory requests
Establishing, exercising or defending legal claims	Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f))

We do not use your personal data for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects concerning you.

6. Marketing communications

Where you subscribe to our newsletter or opt in to marketing, we may send emails about new articles, guides and relevant updates on prefabricated construction topics. Each marketing email includes an unsubscribe link. You may also opt out at any time by emailing info@vcfertigteile.org.

We do not sell your personal data to third parties for their marketing purposes. We may use email service providers who process data on our behalf under data processing agreements.

7. Recipients and data processors

We may share personal data with trusted service providers who assist us in operating our website and communications, including:

Website hosting and content delivery providers
Email and newsletter delivery platforms
Analytics providers (only where you have consented)
IT support, security and backup services
Professional advisers (lawyers, accountants) where necessary
Public authorities, courts or law enforcement when legally required

All processors are bound by contract to process data only on our documented instructions, implement appropriate security measures and comply with GDPR requirements. We do not authorise processors to use your data for their own marketing.

8. International transfers

Your data is primarily processed within the European Economic Area (EEA). Where any service provider processes data outside the EEA — for example in the United States — we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as European Commission adequacy decisions, Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) supplemented by transfer impact assessments where required, or other mechanisms approved under GDPR. You may request further information about transfers and safeguards by contacting us.

9. Retention periods

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy:

Contact enquiries — typically up to 24 months after resolution, unless a longer period is needed for disputes or legal claims.
Newsletter subscriptions — until you unsubscribe, plus a short suppression period to honour your opt-out and maintain consent records.
Server and security logs — usually 30 to 90 days unless required for incident investigation.
Analytics data — according to provider settings, often 14 to 26 months in aggregated or pseudonymised form where consented.
Legal, tax and accounting records — up to ten years where required by German commercial and tax law.

When data is no longer needed, we delete or irreversibly anonymise it using appropriate technical measures.

10. Cookies and similar technologies

Our website uses cookies and local storage to remember preferences and, with your consent, to analyse traffic. For detailed information about the technologies we use, their duration and how to manage them, please read our Cookie Policy.

11. Your rights under the GDPR

Subject to conditions and exceptions in applicable law, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right of access (Article 15) — to obtain confirmation of processing and a copy of your data.
Right to rectification (Article 16) — to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure (Article 17) — to request deletion in certain circumstances ("right to be forgotten").
Right to restriction of processing (Article 18) — to limit how we use your data in specific situations.
Right to data portability (Article 20) — to receive data you provided in a structured, machine-readable format where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Right to object (Article 21) — to object to processing based on legitimate interests, including profiling, and to object at any time to direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent (Article 7(3)) — where processing is based on consent, without affecting prior lawful processing.
Right not to be subject to automated decision-making (Article 22) — where applicable.

To exercise these rights, email info@vcfertigteile.org with sufficient information to identify you and describe your request. We respond within one month, extendable by two further months for complex requests with explanation.

12. Right to lodge a complaint

If you believe we have processed your personal data unlawfully, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. The lead authority for VC Fertigteile GmbH is typically the data protection authority of Lower Saxony (Landesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz Niedersachsen). You may also complain to the authority in your country of habitual residence or place of work if you are in the EEA.

13. Security measures

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or access. Measures include HTTPS encryption, access controls, secure hosting environments, staff confidentiality obligations and regular review of service providers. No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security but we work continuously to maintain strong protections.

14. Children's privacy

Our website is intended for a general adult audience interested in construction planning topics. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16 without parental consent. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

15. Links to third-party websites

Our content may link to external websites — manufacturers, government resources, maps or partner pages. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing personal data.

16. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements or website features. The "Last updated" date at the top indicates when the policy was last revised. Material changes may be communicated via a notice on the website or, where appropriate, by email to subscribers. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

17. Contact

For privacy-related questions, requests or complaints:

VC Fertigteile GmbH
Am Seemannsheim 6
26723 Emden, Germany
Email: info@vcfertigteile.org