Privacy Policy
Last updated: April 2026
Thank you for your interest in our company. Data protection is of the utmost importance to the management of Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente GmbH (hereinafter referred to as “Rutronik”). For this reason, Rutronik has implemented numerous technical and organizational measures to ensure comprehensive protection of the personal data we process. These include, among other things, the certified Information Security Management System (ISMS) in accordance with ISO 27001:2016. Our security procedures are regularly reviewed and adapted to technological advancements. Nevertheless, internet-based data transmissions may inherently contain security vulnerabilities, meaning that absolute protection cannot be guaranteed.
The processing of personal data, such as the name, address, email address, or telephone number of a data subject, is always carried out in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and in compliance with the country-specific data protection regulations applicable to Rutronik. Through this Privacy Policy, we would like to inform you about the nature, scope, and purpose of the personal data we collect, use, and process. Furthermore, this Privacy Policy informs data subjects of their rights.
Please note that the content of this Privacy Policy is always valid only in the version dated as indicated above at the time of your visit. Due to changes in legal or regulatory requirements, it may become necessary to update this Privacy Policy. This is also the case if we add new features or use additional service providers. The updated Privacy Policy will then take effect the next time you visit our website.
1. Responsible Department
The entity responsible for data processing on this website is:
Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente GmbH
Industriestraße 2 | D-75228 Ispringen
Phone: +49 (0) 72 31 / 801 0 | Fax: +49 (0) 72 31 / 822 82 | E-Mail: rutronik@rutronik.com
2. General Information
How do we collect your data?
We collect data from you in various ways on our website. In some cases, you provide this data to us via the contact form. Other data is collected automatically or, with your consent via the Consent Manager, by our analytics tools when you visit our website. This primarily consists of technical data such as your web browser, operating system, or the time you visited the page.
What do we use your data for?
We collect some of your data to ensure the smooth operation of our website. We use other data to analyze your user behavior so that we can, for example, offer you special services.
Retention Period
Unless a specific retention period is stated in this Privacy Policy, we will retain your personal data until the purpose for which it was collected no longer applies. If you submit a legitimate request for deletion or revoke your consent to data processing, we will delete your data unless there are other legally permissible grounds for storing your personal data. Such grounds could include, for example, retention periods under tax or commercial law. If such grounds exist, the data will be deleted once the grounds no longer apply.
Disclosure to Subsidiaries
In certain cases, it may be necessary to disclose personal data to subsidiaries affiliated with Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente GmbH. This is done for internal administrative purposes. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. Any disclosure is always carried out in compliance with data protection regulations.
Contact Information
If you have any questions or wish to exercise any of your data subject rights, please feel free to contact us at any time by email at:
dsb@rutronik.com
3. External Hosting of our Website
The website is not hosted by Rutronik GmbH itself, but by an external service provider. For the hosting of our website, we use the services of Telekom Deutschland GmbH, Landgrabenweg 151, 53227 Bonn (hereinafter Telekom).
The external hosting is carried out for the purpose of fulfilling contracts with our potential and existing customers (Art. 6 (1) b) GDPR) and in the interest of a secure, fast and efficient provision of our online offer by a professional provider (Art. (6) 1 f) GDPR). Insofar as a corresponding consent has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6 (1) a) GDPR and Section 25 (1) new German Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act (TTDPA), insofar as the consent includes the storage of cookies or access to information in the user's terminal device (e.g. device fingerprinting) as defined by the TTDPA. The consent can be revoked at any time.
Our hoster will or will process your data only insofar as this is necessary for the fulfillment of its service obligations and follow our instructions with regard to this data.
Telekom processes our customer data in accordance with our instructions and has committed itself to handling your personal data in a trustworthy and GDPR-compliant manner. We ensure this through a so-called data processing agreement (hereinafter DPA) with Telekom.
You can find more information about Telekom's data processing in german language at: https://www.telekom.de/ueber-das-unternehmen/datenschutz#fragen-und-antworten
4. Processing purposes
We collect personal data such as your name, address, or email address only in connection with the provision of a service, e.g., when you use the contact form, place an order through our online store, or subscribe to our newsletter. We use the information you voluntarily provide for this purpose exclusively for the purpose for which you provided it to us. The processing of personal data is carried out exclusively in accordance with the principles of Article 5 of the GDPR.
4.1 Processing of usage data when accessing our website
Even when the website is used purely for informational purposes, a range of general data and information is transmitted each time our website is accessed. In doing so, we only log the general data and information that your browser transmits to our server. We collect data and information that is technically necessary for us to display our website to you and that serves to ensure stability, security, and protection against threats in the event of attacks on our information technology systems.
Specifically, the following data is collected:
- IP address
- Date and time of the website visit
- Browser type and version used
- Operating system used and its user interface
- Website from which an accessing system reaches our website (so-called referrer)
- Subpages accessed via an accessing system on our website,
- Internet service provider of the accessing system
We delete the data collected in this context once storage is no longer necessary for error analysis, or restrict processing if statutory retention obligations apply. The legal basis for data processing in this context is Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. When using this general data and information, we do not draw any conclusions about you as the data subject. The logged data is stored for a period of 100 days. Afterward, it is automatically deleted by the system.
4.2 Error Logs
So-called error logs are created for the purpose of identifying and resolving errors. This is absolutely necessary to be able to respond as promptly as possible to potential issues with the display and implementation of content (legitimate interest). This data is generally pseudonymous and therefore does not allow for any identification of a natural person. The legal basis for this is found in Section 15(1) of the German Telemedia Act (TMG) and Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). When an error message occurs, general data such as the website’s domain name, the web browser and its version, the operating system, the IP address, and the timestamp at the time the corresponding error message or specification occurred are recorded. These error logs are stored for up to 100 days. There is no right to object.
4.3 Use of the Contact Form or Contact via Email
If you have any questions, for example about our products, you can use the contact form provided on our website or feel free to contact us via email. Data processing for the purpose of contacting us is carried out pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) of the GDPR based on your voluntary consent or, in the case of a (pre-)contractual relationship with us, pursuant to Art. 6(1)(b) of the GDPR. The data collected in this context is stored for statistical purposes and used to improve the quality of our content.
We use a marketing automation solution called “Evalanche” to process and forward the data entered in our contact form. The data entered in the form is transmitted to Evalanche and processed there as part of handling your inquiry. Evalanche is operated in two German data centers and acts as a processor in accordance with Article 28 of the GDPR.
4.4 Use of the Webshop
If you wish to place an order in our webshop, you must create a customer account, which allows us to store certain personal data for future purchases. To conclude a contract, you must also provide certain personal data that we require to process your order.
Required fields are marked separately; additional information is voluntary. We process the data you provide to fulfill your order. To this end, we may pass on your payment details to our bank or, in the case of credit card payments, to an external payment provider. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR. For the information you provide voluntarily, the legal basis is your consent pursuant to Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR.
Due to commercial and tax law requirements, we are obligated to store your address, payment, and order data for a period of ten years. However, after six months without logging into your customer account, we will restrict the processing of your data, meaning your data will be used solely to comply with legal obligations.
To prevent unauthorized access by third parties to your personal data, particularly financial data, the ordering process is encrypted using TLS technology.
4.5 Newsletter Subscription
We offer you the opportunity to subscribe to our newsletter, through which we inform you about our current special offers, as well as technologies and news from the world of electronic components.
We use the so-called double opt-in procedure for subscribing to our newsletter. This means that after you subscribe, we will send an email to the email address you provided, asking you to confirm that you wish to receive the newsletter. If you do not confirm your subscription within 24 hours, your information will be blocked and automatically deleted after one month. In addition, we store your IP addresses and the times of registration and confirmation. The purpose of this procedure is to be able to verify your registration and, if necessary, investigate and clarify any potential misuse of your personal data.
The only mandatory information required to receive the newsletter is your email address. Providing any additional, separately marked data is voluntary and will be used solely to address you personally. After you confirm your subscription, we will store your email address for the purpose of sending you the newsletter. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR.
You may revoke the consent you have given for the processing of your personal data and its use for sending the newsletter at any time with future effect. To do so, you can either use the unsubscribe link in the newsletter or contact the address provided in the privacy policy. Withdrawing your consent by unsubscribing from the emails has no effect on the lawfulness of the data processing up to the time of withdrawal. If you unsubscribe from the emails, the data we have stored for the purpose of sending these emails will be deleted, unless such deletion conflicts with statutory retention obligations.
We use the email marketing and marketing automation software Evalanche, provided by SC Networks GmbH, Würmstraße 4, 82319 Starnberg, Germany, to send out the newsletter. Evalanche is hosted in German data centers certified to ISO 27001 and is fully compliant with the GDPR. SC Networks GmbH processes our customer data on our behalf in accordance with our instructions and is obligated to handle your data securely and in compliance with data protection regulations. For more information on data processing by Evalanche, please visit: https://help.evalanche.cloud/hc/de/articles/360038742231-Dokumente-zum-Datenschutz-Datenmanagement-und-AI-Nutzung
4.6 Newsletter Tracking
In addition to sending the newsletter, Evalanche provides us with statistical reports regarding the opening of the newsletter and clicks on articles contained therein. Recipient reactions (opening an email, clicking on text and image links, downloading images using an email program) are recorded and stored anonymously for statistical purposes (so-called “newsletter tracking”). This allows us to regularly and clearly inform subscribers about relevant news, offers, and developments. In addition, through the anonymized analysis of user behavior, we can continuously improve the content and better align it with the interests of our customers.
It is not possible to identify individual recipients from the stored data. We use this information exclusively to improve the quality of the newsletter content. The information is stored only for as long as you remain subscribed to the newsletter. The legal basis for newsletter tracking is Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR and requires your prior explicit consent. To this end, after you sign up for the newsletter, we will ask you separately via email whether you consent to newsletter tracking.
You can revoke your consent to tracking at any time with future effect by changing the tracking settings (known as “Tracking Permission”) for your newsletter profile via the separate “Update your Profile” link provided in the footer of every newsletter email.
We will delete the data collected in this context once the respective purpose no longer applies.
For more information on data processing by Evalanche, please visit:
help.evalanche.cloud/hc/de/articles/360038742231-Dokumente-zum-Datenschutz-Datenmanagement-und-AI-Nutzung
4.7 Online event registration
On our website we offer you the possibility to register for our events. For this purpose, we require personal data from you for the registration and implementation of the event. We process your personal data only insofar as this is necessary for the implementation of the respective event on the basis of Art. 6 (1) b) GDPR.
In individual cases, personal data of special categories may be requested and processed in accordance with Art. 9 GDPR (e.g. food intolerances in the case of a catering offer). We will then obtain your express consent for this when you register. The processing is then based on Art. 9 (2) a) GDPR.
Your data will only be passed on to the person in charge of the event (and, if applicable, your team) insofar as this is necessary for the implementation of the respective event. Your data will be deleted after the event has been completed, unless there are legal retention periods.
For the online event registration, we use the service of the company Lyyti Oy,
Linnankatu 13 Aa 18, 20100 Turku, Finland (hereinafter Lyyti). Lyyti processes our customer data in accordance with our instructions, on our behalf and has committed itself to handling your data in a trustworthy manner. For more information about Lyyti and how we process your data, please visit: https://www.lyyti.com/en and: www.lyyti.com/data-protection.
4.8 Application management
We collect and process applicants’ personal data for the purpose of handling the application process. For more information on data processing during the application process, please visit our Careers page: www.rutronik-careers.com.
5. Cookies und Drittanbieter-Tools
Rutronik’s websites use cookies and third-party services. Cookies are text files that are placed and stored on a computer system via a web browser. Many websites and servers use cookies. Many cookies contain a so-called cookie ID. A cookie ID is a unique identifier for the cookie. It consists of a string of characters that allows websites and servers to associate the specific web browser in which the cookie was stored. This enables the visited websites and servers to distinguish the individual browser of the data subject from other web browsers that contain different cookies. A specific web browser can be recognized and identified via the unique cookie ID.
By using cookies, we can provide users of this website with more user-friendly services that would not be possible without setting cookies. Cookies allow us to optimize the information and offers on our website to better serve the user’s needs. As mentioned earlier, cookies enable us to recognize the users of our website. The purpose of this recognition is to make it easier for users to use our website. For example, a user of a website that uses cookies does not have to re-enter their login credentials every time they visit the website, as this information is retrieved by the website and the cookie stored on the user’s computer system. Another example is the shopping cart cookie in our online store: Rutronik24 uses a cookie to remember the items a customer has placed in the virtual shopping cart.
We create usage profiles under a pseudonym using tracking services and cookies. Such a usage profile contains information about a visitor’s behavior on our websites. It is not possible to directly identify the user from this information.
You can prevent our website from setting cookies at any time by adjusting the settings of your web browser and thereby permanently object to the setting of cookies. Furthermore, cookies that have already been set can be deleted at any time via a web browser or other software programs. This is possible in all common web browsers. If the data subject disables the setting of cookies in the web browser being used, not all functions of our website may be fully usable under certain circumstances.
You can delete all cookies stored on your computer and configure most browsers to prevent cookies from being stored. You can find out how to do this here, for example: AllAboutCookies.org.
Generally speaking, web browsers are currently set by default to automatically accept cookies. On these pages, you can learn how to change this default setting and block cookies including those from this website:
- Chrome
- Firefox
- Internet Explorer
- Opera
- Safari
Our website uses various types of cookies. Some cookies are placed by third-party providers that appear on our pages.
- Essential cookies are necessary to ensure the core functionality of the website. We use these cookies based on our legitimate interests pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR.
- We use marketing cookies to generate ads relevant to our website visitors. This includes our marketing automation solution, which creates a pseudonymous profile ID to recognize the browser and serves to optimize the display of our forms. We use these cookies only based on your consent in our Consent Manager pursuant to Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR.
- Functional cookies help us track user behavior on our website so that we can improve the website’s functionality. We also use these cookies only based on your consent in our Consent Manager pursuant to Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR.
You can change or withdraw your consent to the use of cookies at any time in our Cookie Consent Manager on our website, effective for the future.
For more detailed information about individual cookies, third-party providers, and the respective data processing activities, please visit our Cookie Manager.
6. Social Media
We use elements from social media providers on our website where Rutronik maintains publicly accessible profiles. Information regarding Rutronik’s data processing on these platforms can be found in the privacy policy linked on the respective platform.
You can usually recognize the social media elements by the respective social media logos. To ensure data protection on this website, we use these elements only in conjunction with the so-called “Shariff” solution. This application prevents the social media elements integrated into this website from transmitting your personal data to the respective provider as soon as you first visit the page. Only when you activate the respective social media element by clicking the corresponding button is a direct connection established to the provider’s server. In this case, clicking constitutes your consent to the data transfer. As soon as you activate the social media element, the respective provider receives information that you have visited this website using your IP address. If you are logged into your respective social media account (e.g., Facebook) at the same time, the respective provider can associate your visit to this website with your user account.
For information on how the respective social media provider processes your data thereafter, please refer to the terms of use and privacy policy of the respective social media provider. Please note that we do not have full control over the data processing activities of social media providers. Our options depend largely on the corporate policy of the respective provider.
Activating the plugin constitutes consent within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TTDSG. You may revoke this consent at any time with future effect.
The service is used to obtain the legally required consents for the use of certain technologies. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(c) of the GDPR.
7. How to Contact Us Regarding Data Protection Questions
If you have any questions or wish to exercise any of the data subject rights described below, please feel free to contact us by email at any time:
dsb@rutronik.com
If you would like to contact our Data Protection Officer directly in confidence, please use the following email address: dsb@gvw.com
8. Your Rights as a Data Subject
The GDPR establishes certain rights that data subjects may exercise vis-à-vis data controllers. We would like to provide you with more detailed information about these rights below. You may exercise these rights at any time by contacting Rutronik.
8.1 Right of Access
The right to obtain information about the personal data stored regarding the data subject and to receive a copy of such information. Furthermore, European legislation grants the data subject the right to access the following information:
- the purposes of the processing
- the categories of personal data being processed
- the recipients or categories of recipients to whom the personal data have been or will be disclosed
- the planned period for which the personal data will be stored, or, if this is not possible, the criteria used to determine this
- the existence of a right to rectification or erasure of personal data concerning them, or to restriction of processing by the controller, or a right to object to such processing
- the existence of a right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority
- if the personal data are not collected directly from the data subject: All available information regarding the origin of the data
- the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, pursuant to Article 22(1) and (4) of the GDPR and—at least in such cases—meaningful information regarding the logic involved, as well as the significance and intended consequences of such processing for the data subject
- A statement as to whether personal data has been transferred to a third country or to an international organization. If this is the case, the data subject is also entitled to receive information about the appropriate safeguards in connection with the transfer.
8.2 Right to Rectification
The right to have inaccurate personal data concerning the data subject rectified without undue delay.
8.3 Right to Erasure (Right to be Forgotten)
The right to have personal data concerning the data subject erased without undue delay, provided that one of the following grounds applies and the processing is not necessary:
- The personal data was collected or otherwise processed for purposes for which it is no longer necessary.
- The data subject withdraws their consent on which the processing was based pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR or Art. 9(2)(a) GDPR, and there is no other legal basis for the processing.
- The data subject objects to the processing pursuant to Article 21(1) of the GDPR, and there are no overriding legitimate grounds for the processing, or the data subject objects to the processing pursuant to Article 21(2) of the GDPR.
- The personal data has been processed unlawfully.
- There is no exception under Article 17(3) of the GDPR.
If Rutronik has made the personal data public and our company, as the controller, is obligated under Article 17(1) of the GDPR to erase the personal data, we have taken appropriate measures to do so, taking into account the available technology and the costs of implementation.
8.4 Right to Restriction of Processing
You have the right to request the restriction of processing (blocking) of your personal data. The conditions for this are:
- The accuracy of the personal data is contested by the data subject, for a period enabling the controller to verify the accuracy of the personal data.
- The processing is unlawful, the data subject objects to the erasure of the personal data, and instead requests the restriction of the use of the personal data.
- The controller no longer needs the personal data for the purposes of the processing, but the data subject needs it to assert, exercise, or defend legal claims.
- The data subject has objected to the processing pursuant to Art. 21(1) of the GDPR, and it has not yet been determined whether the controller’s legitimate grounds override those of the data subject.
8.5 Right to Data Portability
The right to receive the relevant personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
8.6 Right to Object
The right to object at any time to the processing of relevant personal data based on Article 6(1)(e) or (f) of the GDPR.
In the event of an objection, Rutronik will no longer process the personal data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing that override the interests, rights, and freedoms of the data subject, or the processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims.
8.7 Automated decision-making in individual cases, including profiling
As a responsible company, we do not engage in automated decision-making or profiling.
8.8 Right to withdraw consent under data protection law
The withdrawal of consent to the processing of personal data at any time, with effect for the future.
8.9 Right to File a Complaint
As a data subject, you have the right to file a complaint with the competent supervisory authority at any time. For Rutronik, the competent supervisory authority is:
State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, Baden-Württemberg
Lautenschlagerstraße 20
70173 Stuttgart
Tel.: 0711/615541-0
FAX: 0711/615541-15
E-Mail: poststelle@lfdi.bwl.de
www.baden-wuerttemberg.datenschutz.de
9. Use of Video Conferencing Tools
We use video conferencing tools, among other means, to communicate with our business partners. When you communicate with us via video or audio conference over the Internet, your personal data is collected and processed by us and the service provider.
We use Microsoft Teams as our video conferencing tool. The provider we use is Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, One Microsoft Place, South County Business Park, Leopardstown, Dublin 18, Ireland (hereinafter “Microsoft”). We have entered into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with Microsoft regarding the use of Microsoft Teams and have implemented the standard contractual clauses regarding data transfers to the United States. For details on data processing, please refer to the Microsoft Teams Privacy Statement:
https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement
Microsoft Teams collects all data that you provide or use in connection with the service:
- Email address and/or phone number,
- Duration of the meeting,
- Start and end times of your participation in the meeting,
- Number of participants,
- Other “contextual information” related to the communication process (so-called metadata).
Furthermore, Microsoft processes all technical data necessary for handling online communication:
- IP addresses,
- MAC addresses,
- Device IDs,
- Device type,
- Operating system type and version,
- Client version,
- Camera type,
- Microphone or speakers,
- type of connection.
If content is exchanged, uploaded, or otherwise made available within Microsoft Teams, it is also stored on Microsoft’s servers. Such content includes, in particular, cloud recordings, chat/instant messages, voicemails, uploaded photos and videos, files, whiteboards, and other information shared while using the service.
Please note that we do not have full control over Microsoft Teams’ data processing operations. Our capabilities are largely determined by Microsoft’s corporate policies.
Purpose and Legal Basis
We use Microsoft Teams to communicate with prospective or existing contractual partners or to provide certain services to our customers (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR). Furthermore, the use of Microsoft Teams serves to generally simplify and expedite communication with us or our company (legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). To the extent that consent has been requested, the use of the relevant tools is based on this consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR); consent may be revoked at any time with future effect.
Retention Period
The data collected directly by us via Microsoft Teams will be deleted from our systems as soon as you request deletion, revoke your consent to storage, or the purpose for data storage no longer applies. Stored cookies remain on your device until you delete them. Mandatory statutory retention periods remain unaffected.
We have no influence over the retention period of your data stored by Microsoft for its own purposes. For details, please contact Microsoft directly: