Introduction
At FABTECH® ("FABTECH"), we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy ("Policy") explains FABTECH's (the "website", "our", "we", or "us") collection of personal information in different forms as well as our use and disclosure of such information. We employ practices and processes that are designed to keep us in compliance with applicable privacy laws and good business practices when it comes to safeguarding the confidentiality of your personal information.
The FABTECH website is published and maintained by The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International® ("FMA"), with offices located at 2135 Point Blvd, Elgin, IL 60123. FMA is one of the co-sponsors of FABTECH along with the American Welding Society (AWS), SME, the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), and the Chemical Coaters Association International (CCAI).
This Policy covers the collection, use, storage, treatment, and disclosure of personal information we collect when you visit or use the website owned, published, or operated by FABTECH. It also covers personal information disclosed to us via mail, our website, or telemarketing. This Policy does not describe privacy policies and practices of websites and platforms that we do not provide, including those linked to, or integrated with, our website (e.g., Facebook or FABTECH sponsors). It also does not cover personal information you may choose to share with other users of our website.
"Personal Information" is any information that identifies or reasonably could be linked to a particular person or household. It includes things like email addresses, phone numbers, mailing addresses, payment card information, account numbers, and government-issued identification numbers. These are just examples and there are many other types of information that would be considered Personal Information.
By using our website, you signify your agreement to the collection, use, storage, treatment, and disclosure of your Personal Information in accordance with this Policy. If you do not agree with this Policy, do not use our website. For EU users, you may affirmatively opt in to such collection, use, storage, treatment, or disclosure.
Notice of Monitoring
Please note that if you use the chat function on our website, all information you send and receive will be recorded. If you do not wish for us to record this information, please do not use the chat function on our website. By using the chat function you consent to our monitoring all communications.
The Data We Collect From You and How We Use It
1. Personal Information You Disclose To Us
From time to time we automatically collect certain Personal Information directly from you, using online tracking technologies, through in-store and other offline technologies, from our business partners, from social media platforms or otherwise when engaging with the website or when you otherwise correspond with us. We also may collect Personal Information from you when you make a purchase in-person in our store.
This information is collected for a number of purposes, as described in more detail below.
Performing Services
- Account Creation, Access to Features, Logon Process. We use Personal Information you provide to create an account with us or to let you have access to certain features or areas of the website, including: your first and last name, email address, mailing address, phone number, and other similar contact data, usernames, passwords, password hints, and similar security information used for authentication and account access. Without providing your Personal Information, you cannot create an account with us or access certain features or areas of the website. We process your Personal Information based on our legitimate interest in providing our products and services, or performance of a contract. When we rely on our legitimate interest, we will always assess whether your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms do not outweigh our interests.
- Communicate with You. To provide you with order confirmations and order updates, manage and maintain our business relationship with you, provide services according to our contractual agreement with you, assist you with subscriptions or upgrades to any of our services or that of our partners, provide customer service, or otherwise communicate with you via text message, email, chat or by phone regarding your account, purchases, returns, exchanges or service requests, we may collect your name, product information, email, and/or billing address, phone number, financial information, demographic information, signature, commercial information, purchase or service history, communications preferences, the products or services that are of interest to you, web usage, interest profiles, email opens/clicks, contact history, and other information relevant to your products or inquiries. We process your Personal Information based on our legitimate interest in providing our products and services, or performance of a contract. When we rely on our legitimate interest, we will always assess whether your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms do not outweigh our interests.
- Processing Order and Payments. When you place an order through our website for products, you provide information required to complete your transaction, including your name, phone number, shipping address, billing address, company name, job function, company type, company size, company end product, email address, purchase or service history. If needed, information required to clear customs (such as Tax ID, partial Social Security number, or other identification numbers) and relevant postage information (such as tracking numbers and tracking updates) may be collected as well. We process your Personal Information based on our need to fulfill our contract obligations and on our legitimate interest in processing orders and payments for products and services. When we rely on our legitimate interest, we will always assess whether your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms do not outweigh our interests.
- Event Registration. You may provide us with your name and contact information when you register for one of our events that we host virtually, or in our store. We may use this information for tracking registrations and confirming attendance. We process your Personal Information based on our legitimate interests. When we rely on our legitimate interest, we will always assess whether your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms do not outweigh our interests. Otherwise processing is based on your consent.
- Authentication. We may collect additional information we are required or authorized by applicable national laws to collect and process in order to authenticate or identify you or to verify the information we have collected. This may include name, email address, phone number, address, purchase or service history, precise geolocation data, billing or account information, bank account information, payment card information, and tax information. We process your Personal Information based on fulfilling our legal compliance obligations.
Improve or Develop Products or Services
- Customer Service. We may collect your Personal Information from you when you contact us for customer services support or questions. Specifically, we may collect your name, job title, company name, job function, company type, company size, company end product, email address, phone number, address, purchase or service history, technologies and interests, subscriptions, memberships, geolocation data, website usage and interest profiles, email bank account information, recording of a call, billing or account information, payment card information, and tax information, depending on the nature of your customer service inquiry and the requests you are making. Processing is necessary for the performance of the contract with you. Otherwise processing is based on your consent. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of the processing based on consent prior to such withdrawal.
- Customer Satisfaction Surveys. We may ask you to complete surveys to tell us about your experiences with us. If you choose to fill out a survey, we will collect your name, email address, phone number, and the information you provide to us in your survey responses. The processing is based on our legitimate interest. When we rely on our legitimate interest, we will always assess whether your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms do not outweigh our interests.
- Communicating with Us. You may also provide us with additional information through a web form, by updating or adding information to your account, through your participation in blog posts, community discussions, and chats, or when you otherwise communicate with us regarding our services. We may use your Personal Information to request feedback and services and develop additional products and services to better serve our users. This information may include your name and email address. Processing is based on your consent. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of the processing based on consent prior to such withdrawal.
- Business to Business Transactions. When you share information with us on behalf of another business, we typically collect your name, company name, address, purchase history, account information, account contact information, account permissions and preferences, and any other information we use to service your account. Processing is necessary for the performance of the contract with you.