1. Controller
The controller responsible for data processing on this website is:
Heinz W. Appel e.K.
Carbide and HSS tools
Precision tool grinding
Christine-Englerth-Straße 42
45665 Recklinghausen
Germany
Phone: +49 2361 84501
Email: info@appelwerkzeuge.de
Represented by the owner: Michael Appel
2. Data protection officer
No data protection officer has currently been appointed, as according to our current assessment there is no legal obligation to do so.
If you have any questions about data protection, please use the contact details above.
3. Purposes and legal bases of processing
3.1 Hosting and access data / log files
Our website is hosted by STRATO GmbH, Otto-Ostrowski-Straße 7, 10249 Berlin, Germany. STRATO processes the data on our behalf as a processor; we have concluded a data processing agreement with STRATO pursuant to Art. 28 GDPR.
When you visit the website, your browser automatically transmits data such as IP address, date, time, user agent etc., which are stored in log files. According to STRATO, non-anonymised IP addresses are stored for a maximum of seven days to detect and prevent attacks and are then anonymised.
Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interest in the secure and stable operation of the website)
3.2 Cookies
We use cookies to enable the operation of the website and to activate optional services (Google Analytics, YouTube, Google Maps) only after you have given your consent.
• Necessary cookies are technically required.
• Optional cookies are only activated with your explicit consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR).
You can change or withdraw your consent at any time.
3.3 Google Analytics
If you consent, we use Google Analytics for web analysis.
• The IP address is anonymised.
• Data transfers to third countries (USA) may be safeguarded by standard contractual clauses / the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.
• Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent)
• Storage period: max. 14 months
• You can withdraw your consent at any time via the cookie settings.
3.4 Embedded content (YouTube, Google Maps, etc.)
Videos and maps are only loaded after your active consent, to avoid data being transmitted in advance.
• Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent)
• Recipient: Google Ireland Ltd. or Google LLC, depending on the service
3.5 Contact (email / contact form)
If you contact us by email or via the form, we process your data (name, email address, message etc.) to handle your enquiry.
Legal basis: Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR (pre-contractual/contractual enquiries) or (f) GDPR (legitimate interest in efficient communication).
Storage period: We store your contact data for as long as this is necessary for communication and beyond that until you object to the storage or withdraw your consent. Statutory retention obligations (e.g. under the German Commercial Code (HGB) or Fiscal Code (AO)) remain unaffected.
3.6 Contact via WhatsApp
You can also reach us via WhatsApp. On our website we only use a simple link (wa.me) for this; no WhatsApp program code is embedded, and no data is transmitted to WhatsApp when you merely visit our pages. WhatsApp or the WhatsApp website only opens when you click the link.
The provider is WhatsApp Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland, a company of the Meta group. When you use it, WhatsApp processes in particular your phone number, your profile name, message content and metadata (e.g. the time of the message). A transfer to Meta Platforms, Inc. in the USA is possible; Meta is certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. WhatsApp's privacy notice also applies: https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/privacy-policy-eea
We only use WhatsApp Business to answer your enquiry if you write to us there on your own initiative. The legal basis is Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR or Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interest in fast communication). We delete chat histories as soon as they are no longer required for handling your enquiry; statutory retention obligations remain unaffected.
If you do not want to use WhatsApp, you can also reach us by phone, email or the contact form.
4. Recipients / transfers to third countries
Data is only passed on to third parties if this is necessary to fulfil our tasks or if you have consented. Our host, STRATO GmbH, processes data on our behalf (see 3.1). If you contact us via WhatsApp, WhatsApp Ireland Limited (Meta group) is a recipient of your data (see 3.6). For transfers to third countries (e.g. USA), we use standard contractual clauses or other lawful safeguards.
5. Storage period
Unless stated otherwise, we only store personal data for as long as it is needed or as required by statutory retention periods.
6. Rights of the data subject
In principle, you have the following rights:
• Access (Art. 15 GDPR)
• Rectification (Art. 16 GDPR)
• Erasure (Art. 17 GDPR)
• Restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR)
• Data portability (Art. 20 GDPR)
• Objection (Art. 21 GDPR)
If you have given your consent, you can withdraw it at any time with effect for the future. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent data protection supervisory authority.
7. Data security
We take technical and organisational measures to protect your data against unauthorised access, loss or manipulation. These measures are reviewed regularly and adapted to the state of the art.
8. Currency and changes
This privacy policy is as of October 2026.
We reserve the right to amend it if the legal requirements or our technical/operational circumstances change.
This is a translation. The German version is legally binding: Datenschutzerklärung (German).
