GAW Industrieholding is a medium-sized industrial group with a focus on industrial leadership and the long-term development of its group companies.

 

The company’s roots can be traced back to the industrialist Erhardt Pildner-Steinburg and his sons Jochen & Jörg Pildner-Steinburg, whose success since as far back as the early 1950s has been built on future viability, independence and continuity.

 

In practical application of these principles, GAW Industrieholding’s strategy is based on three pillars: 

 

•    Future-proof investments - long-term investment strategy
•    Industrial leadership - active development of its equity interests through personal commitment
•    Development of own managers

 


Future-proof investments - long-term investment strategy

 

An equity interest of more than fifty percent is a precondition for our involvement. In contrast to private equity companies, GAW Industrieholding pursues a long-term investment strategy. Our investments guarantee continuity. The long-term development of the group companies is the main driving force behind our efforts, while the strengthening of medium-sized industrial companies is of crucial importance to us. Last but not least, it is for this reason that we not only enjoy the confidence of our partners, but also secure the commitment and motivation of employees, customers and suppliers.

 

We look to acquire equity interests in medium-sized companies:


• with innovative technological special and niche solutions
• with high differentiation and development potential and
• with intelligent technology which complements our group companies

 

 

Industrial leadership – active development of equity interests through personal commitment

 

The leadership offered by GAW Industrieholding expresses itself through operationally active and decidedly entrepreneurial action. We are not managers, we are entrepreneurs. Our style is characterised by a high level of personal commitment and close cooperation with senior management and the local management teams, and by many decades of experience. Our knowledge extends across a large number of different sectors and industries, with a clear focus on mechanical and plant engineering.

 

 

Development of own managers

 

The continuous development of skilled internal managers to fill key positions within the group provides the resources necessary to successfully drive steady growth in line with our objectives and to secure that growth in the long term. We place particular emphasis on this strategy, which has always proven successful.

 

 You are invited to read about strategy, organizational development and cooperation between the group companies in the editions of our “imteam - the GAW Group Magazine”

 

IMTEAM IMTEAM IMTEAM
 

GAW Group


The GAW Group is a group of technology companies operating worldwide focussing on paper-, plastics industry and automation.


The overall portfolio of the GAW Group includes plant construction, products and industrial services, and serves nine essential markets in almost every region of the world: plastics, paper, automotive, chemicals, infrastructure, building materials, food, medical engineering and optoelectronics.


The 600 employees of the GAW Group can draw on more than six decades of experience in industrial plant construction, mechanical engineering, industrial services and automation.


As a worldwide operating company network for industrial plant and mechanical engineering construction, GAW Group offers innovative and customized designed complete solutions all from one hand. The grouping of resources in the company network creates valuable synergies, for the advantage of our customers.


A substantial part of the worldwide production of coated paper and board is achieved using processing equipment from GAW technologies. Global market leading automobile manufacturers rely on conveyor technology developed by GAW. Special machinery and recycling units from the GAW companies in the plastics division are successfully established throughout the world.


On UNICOR production lines, plastic profiles are being manufactured that are making a significant contribution towards resolution of our future challenges as water pipes, tubes in medical applications and protective conduits for fibre glass cables.


Durable high-tech plastics are being made with ECON machines. We close the cycle of recyclable plastic by using the innovative systems engineering from LÖMI to transform plastic packaging waste into plastic that is as good as new.


Solutions for digital networking and automation of complex production processes and self-optimising processes – have been steadily promoted by AutomationX.

 

 

As an international group for industrial engineering and plant construction GAW GROUP offers innovative and customized designed complete solutions all from one hand. The grouping of resources in the company network creates valuable synergies, for the advantage of our customers. 

GAW Group


The GAW Group is a group of technology companies operating worldwide focussing on paper-, plastics industry and automation.


The overall portfolio of the GAW Group includes plant construction, products and industrial services, and serves nine essential markets in almost every region of the world: plastics, paper, automotive, chemicals, infrastructure, building materials, food, medical engineering and optoelectronics.


The 600 employees of the GAW Group can draw on more than six decades of experience in industrial plant construction, mechanical engineering, industrial services and automation.


As a worldwide operating company network for industrial plant and mechanical engineering construction, GAW Group offers innovative and customized designed complete solutions all from one hand. The grouping of resources in the company network creates valuable synergies, for the advantage of our customers.


A substantial part of the worldwide production of coated paper and board is achieved using processing equipment from GAW technologies. Global market leading automobile manufacturers rely on conveyor technology developed by GAW. Special machinery and recycling units from the GAW companies in the plastics division are successfully established throughout the world.


On UNICOR production lines, plastic profiles are being manufactured that are making a significant contribution towards resolution of our future challenges as water pipes, tubes in medical applications and protective conduits for fibre glass cables.


Durable high-tech plastics are being made with ECON machines. We close the cycle of recyclable plastic by using the innovative systems engineering from LÖMI to transform plastic packaging waste into plastic that is as good as new.


Solutions for digital networking and automation of complex production processes and self-optimising processes – have been steadily promoted by AutomationX.

 

 

As an international group for industrial engineering and plant construction GAW GROUP offers innovative and customized designed complete solutions all from one hand. The grouping of resources in the company network creates valuable synergies, for the advantage of our customers. 

 
 

THE TEAM

Robert Assl Pildner Steinburg Intermediate 02

After completing his Higher Technical Education Institute studies in telecommunications and graduating in business administration with a major in controlling and business management, Robert Assl-Pildner-Steinburg joined the family-run business in 1999.

 
At the beginning of his activities, he was responsible for the operational management of accounting and controlling at GAW technologies, interfacing with shareholders, management and the foreign subsidiaries as well as banks, tax consultants and auditors.

 
In the industrial holding company, he was then put in charge of corporate accounting and also played the leading role in supporting company acquisitions. In doing so, he gained extensive experience in dealings with entrepreneurs, financial investors, banks, M&A advisors and lawyers. Active involvement in the introduction of controlling and SAP ERP systems should be emphasised as the main tasks that arise in post-merger integration.

Thanks to his high level of personal commitment and close cooperation with senior management and with local management teams, he has developed a deep understanding of the needs and interests of individual companies.

 
In 2017 the GAW Group gained a trustworthy and reliable partner in strategic corporate development in the form of the RAG-Foundation Investment Company. In the context of the transaction, he had prime responsibility for the sale process.

 
At GAW Beteiligungsgesellschaft, which was newly founded as a result of this and shapes the orientation and development of the group, Robert Assl-Pildner-Steinburg is responsible for Finance, HR and Central Services.

 

 

 

Alexander Rinderhofer test 01

Following his commercial training at HAK, Alexander Rinderhofer graduated in polymer engineering and science at the University of Leoben.

 

 
Seine berufliche Laufbahn beginnt er in den Forschungs- und Entwicklungsbereichen namhafter Großkonzerne mit den Schwerpunkten Kunststoff-Rheologie und Stahl-Kunststoff-Verbundwerkstoffe.

 

 
As technical director of an Austrian industrial group, Alexander Rinderhofer is active in the composites division, where he is responsible for the development and implementation of the global technological strategy from the raw material through to the application of the products.

 

 

 
While pursuing his career, he completed his MBA studies at the Johannes Kepler University Linz, with focuses on strategic development and strategic marketing as well as technology sales and management.

 

 
Subsequently, further appointments as CEO at companies in strong need of change and restructuring in the plant engineering and electronics segment enhanced Mr. Rinderhofer’s technical and business skills.

 

 
In 2017 Alexander Rinderhofer was appointed as one of managing directors of GAW Beteiligungsgesellschaft, where he is responsible for innovation, technology and sales.

 

Imteam Das GAW Gruppenmagazin No 01 18 de 666x470

You are invited to read about our management team and group companies in the very latest edition of „imteam – das GAW Gruppenmagazin“.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE TEAM

Robert Assl Pildner Steinburg Intermediate 02

After completing his Higher Technical Education Institute studies in telecommunications and graduating in business administration with a major in controlling and business management, Robert Assl-Pildner-Steinburg joined the family-run business in 1999.

 
At the beginning of his activities, he was responsible for the operational management of accounting and controlling at GAW technologies, interfacing with shareholders, management and the foreign subsidiaries as well as banks, tax consultants and auditors.

 
In the industrial holding company, he was then put in charge of corporate accounting and also played the leading role in supporting company acquisitions. In doing so, he gained extensive experience in dealings with entrepreneurs, financial investors, banks, M&A advisors and lawyers. Active involvement in the introduction of controlling and SAP ERP systems should be emphasised as the main tasks that arise in post-merger integration.

 

Thanks to his high level of personal commitment and close cooperation with senior management and with local management teams, he has developed a deep understanding of the needs and interests of individual companies.

 
In 2017 the GAW Group gained a trustworthy and reliable partner in strategic corporate development in the form of the RAG-Foundation Investment Company. In the context of the transaction, he had prime responsibility for the sale process.

 
At GAW Beteiligungsgesellschaft, which was newly founded as a result of this and shapes the orientation and development of the group, Robert Assl-Pildner-Steinburg is responsible for Finance, HR and Central Services.

 

 

Alexander Rinderhofer test 01

Following his commercial training at HAK, Alexander Rinderhofer graduated in polymer engineering and science at the University of Leoben.

 
Seine berufliche Laufbahn beginnt er in den Forschungs- und Entwicklungsbereichen namhafter Großkonzerne mit den Schwerpunkten Kunststoff-Rheologie und Stahl-Kunststoff-Verbundwerkstoffe.

 
As technical director of an Austrian industrial group, Alexander Rinderhofer is active in the composites division, where he is responsible for the development and implementation of the global technological strategy from the raw material through to the application of the products.

 
While pursuing his career, he completed his MBA studies at the Johannes Kepler University Linz, with focuses on strategic development and strategic marketing as well as technology sales and management.

 
Subsequently, further appointments as CEO at companies in strong need of change and restructuring in the plant engineering and electronics segment enhanced Mr. Rinderhofer’s technical and business skills.

 
In 2017 Alexander Rinderhofer was appointed as one of managing directors of GAW Beteiligungsgesellschaft, where he is responsible for innovation, technology and sales.

 

 

Imteam Das GAW Gruppenmagazin No 01 18 de 666x470

You are invited to read about our management team and group companies in the very latest edition of „imteam – das GAW Gruppenmagazin“.

 

 

Responsibility

 

GAW Group Responsibility 1000x743 cut

The principle of social responsibility – to satisfy the needs of today’s generation without limiting the opportunities for future generations – is a central part of the corporate policy of the GAW Group. An important goal is social progress, which is achieved on the basis of ecological balance.


Social responsibility and sustainable development are important foundations for the success of the GAW Group, and therefore the company’s policies are aligned accordingly. We are convinced that economic success and social and ecological responsibility are inseparably associated with each other. We act in a responsible way in the market, and also when it comes to our employees, the community and the environment. Social responsibility is not a flattering public relations exercise to us, but a management principle with a value system in support of sustainable development.

 

RESPONSIBILITY PUT INTO PRACTICE IN THE THIRD GENERATION

 

GAW Group Responsibility Mountain Test 326x218 The vision of the founder Erhardt Pildner-Steinburg paved the way for the sustainability strategy we embody today, which can be traced back to the business philosophy he established more than 60 years ago. Our operational approach links economic, social and environmental strategies together, harmonises the needs of our stakeholders and enables us to manage a customer-focused group of companies – in the present and also in the future.

 
 
 
 


TEAM SPIRIT – IN THE GROUP AND IN SPORTS

 

GAW Group Responsibility Test Hockey 326x223 The sponsorship activities of the GAW Group focus on especially demanding and challenging sports, as well as activities for supporting the community at regional level. Summiteers conquering Mount Everest, extreme mountain bikers in the toughest races in the world, euphoria in the ice hockey stadium or goose-bump moments in a concert hall – the GAW Group enables all of these. We also support numerous associations, both regionally and locally. The GAW Group thus accompanies many talents on their way to the top, starting at the beginning of their careers.

 

MORE THAN “JUST” SUSTAINABILITY

 

GAW Group Resonsibility Bike Face Test 326x217The business model of the GAW Group was already oriented towards sustainability long before the word became a fashionable term. Our aim is to create permanent added value for all stakeholders, without limiting ourselves to only monitoring the impact on the environment. We want our customers to benefit from our experience and our force of innovation, and in return this will mean a secure future for our employees. Companies such as the GAW Group therefore aim for open, free markets with stable societies and a fair distribution of the economic benefits.

 

 

 

 

GAW Group Responsibility Bike Test 1000x667

 

 

Sustainability at GAW Group

Sustainability has always been held dear at GAW Groups corporate policy.

 

It is reflected in the daily work of each employee as well as in the management principles and business relationships implemented within the Group. At GAW, sustainability is a decisive factor in order to be successful in the long term. It is an important element of the company’s corporate policy and strategy.

 

All business decisions and measures follow the tenets and principles of sustainable development. GAW works continuously to improve and optimize its actions geared towards economic, ecological, and social sustainability and tries to satisfy the goals and expectations of the various stakeholder groups as best possible, thus creating added value. 

 

In 2021, our sustainability concept from 1996, which was previously anchored in our corporate strategy, was for the first time aligned with the nearly identical goals of the United Nations (Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs).

 

In the course of creating the materiality analysis, we determined twentytwo external and internal stakeholder groups that are affected directly or indirectly by the company’s activities. Their concerns form the basis of the materiality analysis and should help to identify opportunities for the company and also any risks at an early stage. GAW pursues an active communications and information policy to ensure that its dialog with all stakeholders is transparent and based on trust.

 

The most important stakeholders for GAW Group are:

  • Employees
  • Customers and business partners
  • Suppliers
  • Shareholders/ Owners
  • Interest Groups
  • Press and the media
  • Science and research
  • Governments and authorities
  • Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
NHB title  

 

Pursuent to GRI standards, GAW Group has prepared a materiality analysis. Based on the ISO 26000 guideline, the manual for corporate social responsibility, the main topics were identified.

 

The topics of safe plants & work processes, stakeholder engagement, climate & environmental protection, sustainable solutions, responsible employer and sustainable procurement were rated as being particularly important for the company. All information regarding sustainability can be found in our sustainability report 2022/23.

 

 

Our materiality matrix

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Verhaltenskodex Führungsgrundsatz Grundwerte
 

HERITAGE

The company’s beginnings

 

GAW group technolgies DI Erhardt Pildner Steinburg industrial plants coating 326x400

In 1951 Erhardt Pildner-Steinburg founded a sole proprietorship with five employees. It was simply a component manufacturer: drive elements for woodworking machinery together with valves and knife-gate valves for the Austrian paper industry. In other words, fittings, also called armatures. Accordingly, GAW (Grazer Armaturen Werk) had nothing to do with bathtubs or wash basins, but with machinery and plant from day one.

 

 

 

In the mid-60s, the firm entered the industrial plant construction sector with one of the first kaolinite processing plants for the Steyrermühl paper factory in Upper Austria.

 

 


The company’s founder passed away in 1974. His sons, Jochen Pildner-Steinburg and Jörg Pildner-Steinburg, work together to continue successfully along the path he laid out.

 

 

 

 

GAW Group Heritage Forge 326x217

 

 

Systems were developed from individual parts, close cooperation was established with Voith, Andritz and Escher-Wyss, the world’s biggest manufacturers of paper machines, and the company entered the market on all five continents at a time when, in Austria, holidaying on the Adriatic beaches of Northern Italy was still regarded as the height of international activity.

 

 

 

 

„Very early on, we were not afraid of foreign markets, and moved into Tanzania, Kenya and China. Countries where it is hard to get things done and where people work seven days a week”.

 

 

GAW Group Heritage Building 1978 326x246


The company, which was originally managed firmly and in a patriarchal manner, was given a new future orientation - from a standing position, so to speak. Key strategic decisions and much hard work followed, as it was clear to everyone involved that entrepreneurial success is not like a lottery prize. When employees drive past the company on a Saturday, they can be sure that their bosses are hard at work. That is why the employees respect their bosses. They know that they are also securing their jobs.

 

 

 


Key corporate decisions – the path to today’s GAW Group


One key corporate decision on the path to today’s GAW Group is, in terms of developing the necessary technology, the stony path from being a component manufacturer for the mechanical engineering industry to becoming a supplier of complex systems for turnkey plants for the paper industry. This requires not only technological, but also strategic courage, because it means competing with the world’s major suppliers. How can anyone survive that unscathed? Courage, uncompromising financial stability and a niche strategy in which, in a relatively small segment, one achieves technological superiority which is so self-evident that even the big players would rather cooperate than go on the offensive.

 

 

GAW Group Heritage Transport Thomas 326x217

 

When the group’s export activities began to grow in the 80s, it faced the challenge of developing the export department in line with this. So why not combine the necessary with what is beneficial to the enterprise? Thus it was that a freight forwarding company was promptly founded in cooperation with an experienced partner, Karl Frühauf, one which went onto become a logistics provider with global contacts and partners throughout the world.

 

 

 

 

The industry quickly became a truly international adventure. South America, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan. Subsidiaries were established in Canada, the USA, South Africa, Brazil, while the first orders from China and India were placed.

 

 

 

GAW Group Heritage Paint Spraying Shop 288x232

The next step on the road to today’s GAW Group was taken in the 90s, which saw the diversifying of the company’s operations. It’s no good putting all one’s eggs in one basket when it comes to the future of a growing company. Drawing on the company’s core competence in plant construction, GAW expanded the product range to include paint processing systems for the automotive industry.

 

Since the 2000s, further expansion has been undertaken through the acquisition of more companies. What had previously been purely endogenous growth has been augmented and additional ways to enhance the structure of a family-run company have been explored. In addition to the core sector, Pulp and Paper, the group now serves Plastics, Automotive, Automation and Chemicals.

 


Industrial leadership and long-term development

A closer look at the structure of the Plastics and Automations divisions provides a good illustration of GAW Industrieholding’s style. It is characterised by industrial leadership and the long-term development of the group companies.



GAW Group Heritage plastics 326x217

With outstanding personal commitment and in close cooperation with local management, the managers become involved in the running of the company. For it is entrepreneurs who are at work here, not managers. The companies acquired receive strategic and operational support, are networked intelligently and undergo a process of continuous internationalisation.


SThus, within just a few years the companies that make up the GAW Group become technology leaders in machine manufacturing for the plastics production and processing industry.

 

 

 

GAW Group AutomationX Heritage 326x488

The guaranteed continuity of investment by GAW Industrieholding is best illustrated by the Automation division. As a customer and partner from the outset, a company set up from scratch in the 1990s was able to enter the conservative Pulp and Paper sector. Under a succession arrangement, the company - now well established - then became part of the GAW Group in the 2010s. Today, the group company already creates automation solutions for the Infrastructure, Food, Manufacturing and Construction Materials sectors.

 

 

It almost goes without saying that this development also leaves its mark on the headquarters in Graz-Puntigam. Millions are being invested in the site to ensure the new company has the premises and facilities it needs.

 

 

 

After 42 years of entrepreneurial activity, the Pildner-Steinburg brothers, in consultation with the highest operational levels of the company, have decided to pass on their life’s work as entrepreneurs and dedicate themselves fully to their plans for GAW Industrieholding.

 

 

 

“Back then, when we took the firm over from our father, we had 50 employees and a turnover of 25 million schillings. Today, we are no longer talking about the Grazer Armaturenwerk, which was founded 65 years ago, but about a GAW Group which operates worldwide, employing more than 500 people and generating sales of 102 million euros”, say the brothers as they look back on what they have achieved.

 

GAW group Heritage Erhardt Jochen Jörg Pildner Steinburg industrial plants coating 1000x666

 

Family-run industrial holding

 

Their impressive entrepreneurial achievements have been recognised with very many awards. For example, they received the Austrian Export Prize as “best family-run company”, as “hidden champion”, as “leader in innovation” and finally for their “life’s work”, to name but a few.

 

GAW Group Heritage Familie Pildner Steinburg  326x217

 

Seamless transfer to the new management will be achieved thanks to the continuous development of skilled internal managers to fill key positions within the group. The Pildner-Steinburg brothers are accompanying this process with their rich entrepreneurial experience and good judgement.







 

CONTACT US

GAW GROUP
GAW Beteiligungs GmbH

Puchstrasse 76
A-8020 Graz
AUSTRIA


Tel.: +43 (0)316 2704-0
Fax: +43 (0)316 273266

office@gaw.at

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Company name: GAW Beteiligungs GmbH
Commercial register number: 50627b
Commercial register court: Landesgericht für ZRS Graz
Authorities according to ECG: Bezirkshauptmannschaft Graz-Stadt
VAT identification number UID: ATU28633404

GDPR

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Data Protection Declaration pursuant to Art. 13 and Art. 14 GDPR/DSGVO

 

1. Preamble

 

We collect, process and use your personal data in accordance with the following statements and in compliance with the relevant provisions of data protection and civil law. In this Data Protection Declaration we explain which personal data of data subjects we process. ‘Personal data’ means any information which can be used to identify you as an individual and that can be traced back to you, for example your name, e-mail address or telephone number.

 

2. Controller for data processing

 

The controller for data processing is the management of this company. No data protection officer has been appointed as the statutory prerequisites for this are not met.

The data protection coordinator can be contacted at the following e-mail address: datenschutz@gawgroup.com

 

3. Data security

 

We take data protection very seriously and treat your data confidentially and in accordance with the relevant statutory provisions. Your personal data is protected by means of corresponding organisational and technical measures.

These measures are intended, in particular, to protect that data against unauthorised, illegal or accidental access, processing and use, as well as loss and manipulation.

Please note that the transfer of data, for example on the internet, cannot in general be entirely secure.  Full and comprehensive protection against access by unknown parties is unachievable. Irrespective of endeavours to meet the always reasonably high requirements of due care, it cannot be completely ruled out that information you place on the internet may be accessed and misused by other people.

Please note that we cannot therefore accept any liability whatsoever for the disclosure of information due to errors in data transmission not caused by us and/or unauthorised access by third parties (e.g. hacker attacks on e-mail accounts or telephone communications, interception of faxes).

 

4. Newsletter

 

You grant a separate voluntary and informed consent for our newsletter. These consents can be withdrawn at any time, for example by sending an e-mail to datenschutz@gawgroup.com

 

5. Visitors to our website

 

Certain data relating to visitors is also processed via server log files (website visited, time access took place, volume of data sent in bytes, source/reference from which you came to the site, browser used and language setting, operating system used, IP address used, referrer URL). Data is collected only used for statistical analyses and in order to improve the website. All data is stored in pseudo-anonymised form. We reserve the right to examine this data at a later point in time if we learn of specific indications of illegal use.

 

6. Rights of users

 

You can contact us at any time to assert your statutory rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), in particular the right to be provided with information about your personal data that we have stored,  its source and recipient and the purpose of the data processing, as well as the right to rectification; the right to erasure of inaccurate and illegally processed data; right to object (precondition is a legitimate interest); right to withdrawal of consent; right to restriction of processing as well as blocking; and right to data portability (precondition is consent or contractual relationship). Please inform us of any changes in your personal data.

This request for information, erasure, rectification, objection and/or data portability, in this last case, provided it does not involve disproportionate effort, should be sent to the data protection coordinator at datenschutz@gawgroup.com. Please include clear and comprehensible proof of your identity so that we can transfer the data-protection compliant response to the actual data subject. We will respond to your request within one month at the most and, if we reject your request, we will inform you of the reasons for that. In the case of a justified request to have your personal data erased or rectified, that request will also be forwarded to the recipients of your personal data for semi-automatic processing.

Should data leaks occur, we shall, if required so to do by law, inform you and the competent supervisory authority, specifying the respective categories of data involved.

 

7. Right to complain to the supervisory authority

 

If you believe that our processing of your personal data is in breach of applicable data protection law or that your rights under data protection law have otherwise been breached, you can lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority. In Austria, the competent authority is the Austrian Data Protection Authority, Hohenstaufengasse 3, 1010 Vienna, telephone: +43 1 531 15-202525, fax: +43 1 531 15-202690, e-mail: dsb@dsb.gv.at, https://www.dsb.gv.at/.

 

8. Transfer to third parties / recipients in third countries

 

It may also be necessary to forward your data to third parties (for example, authorities/courts; tax advisers/banks; IT service providers; advertising companies; chambers of commerce; providers; website hosting companies; social media; company website; other service providers, insurers whose services we use and to which we provide data, etc.). Your data is forwarded exclusively in accordance with the GDPR, in particular in order to execute the contract or on the basis of your prior consent.

Your personal data which we process is generally not transferred to recipients in third countries. Many of the above-mentioned recipients of your personal data are, however, located outside your country or process your personal data outside your country. The level of data protection in other countries may not correspond to that in Austria and Germany. However, we only transfer your personal data to countries that the EU Commission has decided to have an appropriate level of data protection, or we adopt measures to ensure that all recipients have an appropriate level of data protection, to which end we conclude standard contractual (2010/87/EC and/or 2004/915/EC) or provide sufficient contractual guarantees.

 

9. Cookies and remarketing and analysis tools

 

We use so-called cookies on this website in order to improve how it functions technically and analyse user behaviour (remarketing). Cookies are used to increase the user-friendliness and security of this website. Cookies are small text files that are placed on a user’s computer when he or she visits a website and which store information about users and websites. Cookies can serve a variety of purposes. The most common one is to recognise users. The most popular browsers offer a settings option that blocks cookies. Note: there is no guarantee that you will be able to enjoy full access to all the functions of this website if you make corresponding settings. Two types of cookies are used on this website:

- Session cookies: these are temporary cookies that remain in your browser’s cookie file until you leave our website and are automatically deleted at the end of your visit.

- Permanent cookies: to improve user-friendliness, cookies remain on your device and enable us to recognise your browser when you next visit our website.

We do not use any other forms of technology to recognise or track users or visitors. By using our services, the visitor grants his or her consent to the use of the above-mentioned cookies if the visitor has not deactivated the use of cookies in his or her browser (deactivate cookies in Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox). Any user information collected by means of the cookies cannot be associated with a natural person until he or she registers.

Google Analytics is based on first-party cookies. Data generated via Google Analytics can be linked to third-party cookies, which relate to visits to other websites, for example in order to generate advertisements of greater relevance or to analyse traffic more precisely. We use the anonymization feature of Google Analytics which truncates the IP address. Consequently, Google only processes anonymised IP addresses.

 

10. Data storage

 

We do not retain data for any longer than is needed to fulfil our contractual and statutory obligations and defend any liability claims that may arise. Generally, the period for which your personal data can be stored is limited to seven years.