Privacy Policy
This privacy policy explains what personal data we collect from you when you are using our website www.metals-hub.com including the Metalshub-Platform and how we use it.
Subject matter of data protection
Subject matter of data protection are personal data. According to Article 4 (1) GDPR, “personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person; this includes, for example, names or identification numbers
Responsible controller/contact information
The data controller responsible for data processing via this website is:
Metals Hub GmbH
Platz der Ideen 2
40476 Düsseldorf Germany
Email: privacy@metals-hub.com
Phone: +49 211 976 33620
If you have any questions or suggestions regarding data protection or if you want to exercise your rights, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Collection of data by automated means
When accessing our website, your device automatically transmits data for technical reasons. The following data is stored separately from other data that you may transmit to us: date and time of accessing our website, IP-address, browser type and version, operating system, URL of the previously visited website (Referrer), duration of the data transfer and amount of data sent.
We only store these data for the technical administration and the security of the website. The data are deleted after 7 days, provided that there is no legitimate reason to suspect illegal use based on concrete indications. Apart from that, the data are not matched to a specific person. The respective processing is necessary for the purposes of our legitimate interests in a secure website, 6(1) (f) GDPR.
Contact form
You can send us a message using the contact form. All data fields marked with * are necessary to process your inquiry. If you do not provide these data, we may not be able to process you inquiry. You are free to provide further data on a voluntary basis. The processing of your personal data is necessary to deal with your inquiry, Article 6(1)(b) GDPR.
REACH calculator
We offer the possibility to provide you with a detailed overview of the costs you can expect in connection with a REACH registration. Insofar you can send us a respective request via our REACH calculator form. If you do not provide the required data, we may not be able to provide you with a REACH calculation. The processing of the personal data submitted by you is necessary to provide you with the requested calculation, Article 6(1)(b) GDPR.
Newsletter
We offer a free newsletter. With our newsletter we provide you with updates and marketing information about Metals Hub.
To subscribe to the newsletter, you can enter your email address in the respective field on the website. You will then receive a link to confirm your registration. Only if you click on this link you will be added to our mailing list and receive our newsletter.
You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time. Each newsletter contains information on how you can cancel the newsletter with effect for the future.
In this case, your personal data will be collected and processed in order to be able to offer you the newsletter as you subscribed to it, Article 6(1)(b) GDPR. In addition, we will store information about your newsletter registration and confirmation in order to comply with our legal obligation to demonstrate that you have subscribed to our newsletter, Article 6(1)(c) GDPR.
Metalshub-Platform
Via our Metalshub-Platform third party sellers and buyers of goods can initiate requests for offers or bids, negotiate and complete transactions. When you use our marketplace we process your personal data in order to provide marketplace services according to the Metalshub-Platform’s general terms and conditions.
7.1 Registration and Log-in
You can only use the marketplace upon registration. In this regard the provision of certain data as indicated by the * in the registration form are necessary. If you do not provide the required data, you cannot register for Metalshub-Platform. The provision of further data is voluntary. The processing of your personal data is necessary to fulfil the registration contract, Article 6(1)(b) GDPR. If you have been invited by a master user of your company or after you have submitted the registration form you receive a link to confirm your registration. Only if you click on this link, you will have access to the platform to continue the company registration process. Once your registration is confirmed and the required company details are provided we can approve your registration according to the Metalshub-Platform’s After registration you may update your data or delete your data by cancelling your registration at any time via sending an email to support@metals-hub.com
Upon log-in we store a token in the local storage of your browser which is technically necessary and insofar the respective processing is to offer the respective functions, Article 6(1)(b) GDPR.
Please note that we will also process your personal data to verify this information, including any updated information and to obtain additional information which we require in order to provide the marketplace services, especially in order to verify your authority to act (Article 6 (1)(f) GDPR) and to obtain sanction reports as set out in our general terms and conditions (Article6(1)(c) GDPR).
7.2 Buying and Selling
You can create a listing for the sale and purchase of goods. According to the preferences you chose for your listing, personal data may be published within the marketplace. Any processing of personal data carried out by us in this regard serves the purpose of processing your listing and related services, such as matching, as requested, Article 6(1)(b) GDPR.
Please note that seller and buyer are solely responsible for any processing of the other party’s personal data in connection with their transactions.
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics, a web analysis service of Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy Mountain View, California 94043, USA ('Google'). Google Analytics uses cookies to analyse how you use our website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of our website (including your shortened IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to your use of the website and the Internet in general. Google may also transfer this information to third parties if this is required by law or if third parties process this data on behalf of Google.
Google is certified under the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and thus, provides an adequate level of protection according to Article 45 GDPR https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active. By decision of 12 July 2016, the European Commission decided that an adequate level of data protection exists under the provisions of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield. For more information about how Google uses your information, see Google's Privacy Policy:.
You can disable Google Analytics using a browser add-on if you do not want the website analysis to take place. You can download the add-on here:
As an alternative, you can click to disable Google Analytics.
The use of Google Analytics is justified on the basis of our legitimate interest in a demand-based design as well as in the statistical evaluation of and efficient advertising on our website, Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
Hotjar
We use Hotjar in order to better understand our users’ needs and to optimise this service and experience. Hotjar is a technology service that helps us better understand our users experience (e.g. how much time they spend on which pages, which links they choose to click, what users do and don’t like, etc.) and this enables us to build and maintain our service with user feedback. Hotjar uses cookies and other technologies to collect data on our users’ behavior and their devices (in particular device's IP address (captured and stored only in anonymised form), device screen size, device type (unique device identifiers), browser information, geographic location (country only), preferred language used to display our website). Hotjar stores this information in a pseudonymised user profile. Neither Hotjar nor we will ever use this information to identify individual users or to match it with further data on an individual user. For further details, please see Hotjar’s privacy policy by clicking on
You can opt-out to the creation of a user profile, Hotjar’s storing of data about your usage of our site and Hotjar’s use of tracking cookies on other websites by following this .
Transfer of data to third parties
If it is necessary to discover or investigate any illegal use of our services or for prosecution, personal data will be forwarded to the law enforcement authorities and, if necessary, to injured third parties. However, this only happens if there are specific indications of illegal or abusive activity. A transfer may also take place if this serves to enforce terms of use or other agreements. We are also legally obliged to provide information to certain public authorities upon request. These are law enforcement authorities, authorities that prosecute fined administrative offences and the tax authorities.
The transfer of this data is justified by our legitimate interest in combating abuse, prosecuting criminal offences and securing, asserting and enforcing le-gal claims, Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
For the provision of certain services, we are depending on external service providers ('processors'). In such cases, personal data will be transferred to these processors in order to enable them to process the data according to our instructions. These processors are carefully selected and regularly reviewed by us to ensure that your privacy is protected. The processors may only use the data for the purposes specified by us and are also contractually obligated to treat your data in accordance with this privacy policy and applicable data protection laws.
We use the following processors:
In order to provide our newsletter we use the service MailChimp, which is operated by The Rocket Science Group LLC, Georgia, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Suite 5000, Atlanta, Georgia 30308, USA ('MailChimp'). MailChimp is certified under the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and thus provides an adequate level of protection according to Article 45 GDPR (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TO6hAAG&status=Active). By decision of 12 July 2016, the European Commission decided that an adequate level of data protection exists under the provisions of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield.
Data is transmitted to processors on the basis of Article 28(1) GDPR, alternatively on the basis of our legitimate interest in the economic and technical advantages associated with the use of specialised contract processors, Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
Invoice processing is handled by the service provider 'easybill' (easybill GmbH, Düsselstr. 21, 41564 Kaarst). Name, address and any other personal data will be passed on to easybill exclusively for processing the online order and handling the the invoices.
Data is transmitted to processors on the basis of Article 28(1) GDPR, alternatively on the basis of our legitimate interest in the economic and technical advantages associated with the use of specialised contract processors, Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
Content Delivery Networks
We have integrated services and content provided by third parties into our website. In order to retrieve these services and contents, a transmission of your IP is to the relevant third-party provider is usually required. In this regard the programming language JavaScript is usually used. Thus, you can object the data processing by deactivating JavaScript in your browser or installing a JavaScript blocker. Please note that the functionality and range of functions of our website offer may be reduced as a result.
We use the services Google Maps and Google Fonts, which are provided by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy Mountain View, California 94043, USA (“Google“). Google is certified under the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and thus, provides an adequate level of protection according to Article 45 GDPR https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI&status=Active. By decision of 12 July, 2016, the European Commission decided that an adequate level of data protection exists under the provisions of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield. Further information can be found in Google’s privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/.
We use the video service YouTube, which is provided by YouTube LLC, 901 Cherry Avenue, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA. Being a subsidiary of Google YouTube LLC is also certified under the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and thus provides an adequate level of protection according to Article 45 GDPR. Further information can be found in Google’s privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/.
Any relevant data processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests in optimizing and operating our website in an efficient way, Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
Our social media pages
In addition to this website, we operate several social media pages. If you interact with our social media pages, we process certain personal data, e.g. if you leave comment, like or retweet a post. Please take into account that – according to your settings – any content provided by you may be published on the respective social media page and may be accessible worldwide. We will also process your personal data in order to deal with any inquire and/or message you send us via the respective network. We process these data to deal with your inquiry, Article 6(1)(b) GDPR, as well as to pursue our legitimate interest in operating social media pages, Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. Furthermore, we may process information you made public on these social media networks, if this is necessary for legitimate interests pursued by us (e.g. economic interests), Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
In addition, the operators of the respective social media networks will process your personal data when you visit and/or interact with our social media pages according to their respective privacy policies. You will find further information in the privacy policies provided by the operators of the social media networks (please see below).
We operate the following social media pages:
12.1 Facebook
Our Facebook page can be accessed via .
The data controller for processing in connection with the Facebook platform is Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland. Your personal data may also be transferred to other Facebook entities outside the European Economic Area. The US company Facebook, Inc. is certified under the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield (https://www.privacyshield. gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active).
We and Facebook Ireland Ltd. are joint controllers with respect to Insights Data, which is collected when you visit our Facebook page. With Insights Data Facebook analysis the behaviour on our Facebook page and provides this data anonymized to us. For these purposes we have concluded a joint controller agreement with Facebook Ireland Ltd., which can be accessed here:. With this agreement Facebook Ireland Ltd. agrees to take agrees to take primary responsibility under the GDPR with respect to Insights Data. This processing is necessary for pursuing our legitimate interest in optimizing and improving our Facebook according to our users’ demands, Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
12.2 Twitter
Our Twitter channel can be accessed via .
If you live outside the USA, the data controller for processing in connection with the Twitter platform is Twitter International Company, One Cumberland Place, Fenian Street Dublin 2, D02 AX07 Ireland. Twitter International may transfer your data to countries outside the European Economic Area and will ensure an adequate level of protection by concluding the EU standard contractual clauses if necessary (Art. 46(2)(c) GDPR). The Twitter privacy policy can be found here:. The US company Twitter, Inc. is certified under the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield ().
12.3 Linkedln
Our LinkedIn page can be accessed via .
If you reside in the EU, the European Economic Are or Switzerland, the data controller for processing in connection with the LinkedIn platform is LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. The LinkedIn privacy policy can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy. LinkedIn Ireland may transfer your data to countries outside the European Economic Area and will ensure an adequate level of protection by concluding the EU standard contractual clauses if necessary (Art. 46(2)(c) GDPR). Further Information can be found under: . The US company LinkedIn Corporation is certified under the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield ().
12.4 Xing
Our Xing page can be accessed via .
Xing is operated by New Work SE, Dammtorstraße 30, 20354 Hamburg, Germany. Xing’s privacy policy can be accessed via . Xing may transfer your data to countries outside the European Economic Area in compliance with the prerequisites set forth by the GDPR. Further information can be found here:.
12.5 YouTube
Our YouTube channel can be accessed via: .
YouTube is operated by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. The privacy policy of Google Ireland can be found here: . There you will information regarding the settings of your Google account. Please consider that your Google account may be active for various Google services (e.g. Gmail, YouTube, Google search) and that Google my connect data derived from these different services according to your settings. Your data may also be processed by US-based Google LLC and its subsidiaries. The Google LLC is certified under the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield ().
Erasure of your data
We delete or anonymize your personal data as soon as they are no longer required for the purposes for which we have collected or processed the respective personal data in accordance with this policy.
If we are obliged to further retain personal for legal reasons (e.g. applicable tax law retention periods), it will be restricted in its processing. The data is then no longer available for other use.
Changes of purpose
Your personal data will only be processed for purposes other than those described if permitted by law or if you have consented to the changed purpose. In the event of further processing for purposes other than those for which the data was originally collected, we will inform you of these other purposes before further processing and provide you with all other relevant information.
Automated individual case decisions and measures for profiling
We do not use any means of automated individual decision-making or profiling.
Your rights as data subject
As a data subject, you have the following rights, which you can exercise by contacting us via one of the channels indicated above:
16.1 Right of access
You have the right to request information from us at any time about the personal data we have processed concerning you within the scope of Article 15 GDPR.
16.2 Right to rectification of inaccurate data
According to Article 16 GDRP you have the right to have us correct any personal data concerning you immediately if it is inaccurate.
16.3 Right to erasure
You have the right to have us delete personal data concerning you under the conditions described in Article 17 GDPR.
16.4 Right to restriction of processing
You have the right to have us restrict processing of your personal data in accordance with Article 18 GDPR.
16.5 Right to data portability
You have the right to receive the personal data you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format in accordance with Article 20 GDPR.
16.6 Right to object
You have the right to object on grounds relating to your particular situation at any time to processing of your personal data which is based, inter alia, on Article 6(1)(e) or (f), according to Article 21 GDPR. We will no longer process the personal data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights and freedoms or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
16.7 Data processing when exercising your rights
When you exercise your rights, we only use the personal data provided by you in order to process your request and for accountability purposes. These processing activities rely on the legal basis of Article 6(1)(c) GDPR.
Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in the event of complaints. You can find an overview over data protection authorities in the EU here: .
Amendments of our privacy policy
The current version of this privacy policy is available at all times at