1. Introduction
Lava Heating Solutions ("Lava," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal data when you visit our website or submit an inquiry, in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable data protection laws.
2. Data Controller
The data controller responsible for your personal data is Lava Heating Solutions. For any questions about this policy, contact us at: [email protected].
3. What Data We Collect
When you use our website or submit an inquiry form, we may collect the following categories of personal data:
- Identity & Contact Data: First name, last name, company name, job title, email address, phone number, and country/region.
- Business Data: Target industry, product interests, inquiry requirements, and any additional information you provide in messages.
- Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device information, and website usage data collected through standard server logs.
- Communication Data: Records of correspondence via WhatsApp, email, or our inquiry form.
4. How We Use Your Data
We process your personal data for the following purposes:
- To respond to your inquiries and provide product quotations.
- To communicate with you about products, orders, and technical support.
- To fulfill contractual obligations when you place an order.
- To improve our website and customer service based on usage patterns.
- To comply with legal obligations, including tax and export regulations.
- To send occasional product updates or promotional materials (only with your explicit consent).
5. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
Under the GDPR, we rely on the following legal bases for processing your data:
- Legitimate Interest: Responding to your inquiries and providing requested information about our products.
- Contractual Necessity: Processing your data to fulfill orders and contractual commitments.
- Consent: Sending marketing communications — you may withdraw consent at any time.
- Legal Obligation: Retaining records required by applicable laws and regulations.
6. Data Sharing and Third Parties
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal data to third parties. We may share data only in the following circumstances:
- Service Providers: Trusted third-party services that help operate our website and business (e.g., hosting provider, email delivery service for inquiry forms), bound by data processing agreements.
- Legal Compliance: When required by law, court order, or governmental regulation.
- Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction.
7. International Data Transfers
Your data may be processed in China, where our operations are based, as well as in countries where our service providers operate. For transfers outside the European Economic Area, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as standard contractual clauses or other lawful transfer mechanisms.
8. Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy:
- Inquiry data: 2 years from last correspondence.
- Order and transaction data: As required by tax and commercial law (typically 7-10 years).
- Marketing consent records: Until consent is withdrawn.
- Website analytics data: 26 months (anonymized).
9. Your Rights Under GDPR
If you are located in the European Economic Area, you have the following rights:
- Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten").
- Right to Restriction: Request restriction of processing under certain circumstances.
- Right to Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
- Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
- Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw previously given consent at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.
10. Cookies and Tracking
Our website uses only essential cookies required for basic functionality:
- Language Preference: Stored locally in your browser to remember your language selection. No personal data is transmitted.
- Analytics (Future): If we implement Google Analytics or similar services in the future, we will update this policy and request consent where required.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that blocking essential cookies may affect language preference functionality.
11. WhatsApp Communication
When you contact us via WhatsApp, your phone number and message content are processed by WhatsApp Inc. in accordance with their privacy policy. We only use this data to respond to your inquiries. WhatsApp messages are subject to WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption.
12. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission, access controls, and regular security reviews. However, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure.
13. Children's Privacy
Our website is not directed at individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
14. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via our website. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Continued use of our website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
15. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us: