At Plasma Cutting, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is collected, used and handled responsibly.
Plasma Cutting is a trading style of Alfa Industrial Services Ltd, registered in England and Wales under company number 06732342.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information when you visit our website, submit an enquiry, request a quotation or use our plasma cutting services.
We process personal information in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), where applicable.
1. Information We Collect
We may collect personal information when you contact us, complete an enquiry form, request a quotation or arrange plasma cutting services.
Depending on the nature of your enquiry or project, this information may include:
- Full name
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Residential or business address
- Company or organisation name
- Delivery or collection address
- Details of your plasma cutting requirements
- Material types, thicknesses and specifications
- Component dimensions and quantities
- CAD drawings, technical drawings and design files
- Project specifications and manufacturing requirements
- Preferred production timescales
- Project budgets and quotation information
- Delivery and collection arrangements
- Details of enquiries, orders and appointments
- Correspondence relating to your project
- Billing and payment information
- Technical information, including IP addresses, browser details and website usage data
We may also receive relevant information from manufacturers, engineering companies, fabrication contractors, procurement teams and other parties authorised to arrange plasma cutting work.
We only collect personal information that is relevant to responding to enquiries, preparing quotations, processing orders and providing our services.
2. How We Use Your Information
Plasma Cutting may use your personal information to:
- Respond to enquiries and quotation requests
- Discuss plasma cutting and manufacturing requirements
- Review technical drawings, CAD files and material specifications
- Prepare quotations and project proposals
- Assess component dimensions and cutting requirements
- Plan production schedules and manufacturing processes
- Arrange materials and equipment
- Coordinate plasma cutting and associated fabrication work
- Process customer orders
- Arrange collection, delivery and transportation
- Communicate with customers about order progress
- Manage customer accounts, invoices and payments
- Provide customer support and respond to service enquiries
- Maintain production and order records
- Resolve complaints or contractual disputes
- Improve our website and services
- Comply with legal, contractual and regulatory requirements
- Send marketing communications where permitted by law
We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
3. Legal Basis for Processing Personal Information
Under the UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for collecting and processing personal information.
Depending on the circumstances, we may rely on the following lawful bases:
Contractual Necessity
We process personal information where necessary to enter into or fulfil a contract with you.
This may include preparing quotations, processing orders, arranging plasma cutting work, organising deliveries and managing payments.
Legitimate Interests
We may process personal information to respond to enquiries, manage customer relationships, coordinate manufacturing projects and operate our business.
Where we deal with representatives of business customers, we may rely on legitimate interests to process their business contact details for relevant commercial purposes.
We only rely on legitimate interests where these do not override your rights and freedoms.
Legal Obligations
We may process personal information to comply with applicable tax, accounting, health and safety, employment, consumer protection and other legal requirements.
Consent
We may rely on your consent for certain activities, such as optional marketing communications or website cookies requiring consent.
Where consent is used, you can withdraw it at any time.
Certain information, including contact details, technical specifications and delivery requirements, may be necessary to prepare a quotation or fulfil an order.
Without this information, we may be unable to provide the requested services.
4. Sharing Your Information
We may share personal information with trusted third parties where necessary to provide our services or comply with legal obligations.
These may include:
- Metal suppliers and stockholders
- Engineering and manufacturing subcontractors
- Metal fabrication and finishing specialists
- CNC programming and technical service providers
- Transport, courier and delivery companies
- Equipment suppliers and maintenance providers
- Quality inspection and testing providers
- Waste management and recycling contractors
- Website hosting and IT service providers
- Customer relationship management and communication platforms
- Accounting and payment processing providers
- Accountants, insurers and professional advisers
- Regulatory authorities where required by law
For example, we may share relevant contact details, technical drawings, material specifications and delivery information with suppliers or subcontractors involved in fulfilling your order.
We only share personal information where there is an appropriate lawful basis and a legitimate reason to do so.
Where third parties process personal information on our behalf, we require appropriate contractual and data protection safeguards.
5. Technical Drawings and Project Information
As part of our plasma cutting services, customers may provide technical drawings, CAD files, specifications, component designs and other manufacturing information.
We may use these documents to:
- Assess project feasibility
- Prepare quotations
- Calculate material requirements
- Plan cutting layouts
- Programme cutting equipment
- Manufacture components
- Carry out quality checks
- Coordinate associated fabrication work
- Resolve technical queries
- Maintain order and production records
Technical drawings and project files may contain personal information, including names, contact details or identifying information relating to individuals.
Where these documents contain personal information, we process it in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.
We recognise that customer drawings and manufacturing specifications may also contain commercially sensitive information.
We take reasonable steps to protect such information against unauthorised access or disclosure.
Customer drawings, designs and project information will not be used for unrelated promotional purposes without appropriate authorisation.
6. How We Protect Your Information
Plasma Cutting takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.
These measures may include:
- Secure storage of customer and project records
- Password protection and access controls
- Restricted access to personal information
- Secure electronic communication and file transfer
- Appropriate IT security procedures
- Confidentiality obligations for relevant personnel and service providers
- Controlled access to technical drawings and project specifications
Access to personal information is limited to individuals who require it for legitimate business or legal purposes.
Although we take precautions to protect personal information, no electronic transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
7. How Long We Keep Your Information
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected or to comply with applicable legal obligations.
Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason it is held.
For example:
- Enquiry Information: May be retained for a reasonable period to respond to enquiries and manage follow-up communications.
- Customer and Contract Records: May be retained for the duration of an order and an appropriate period afterwards to manage contractual responsibilities.
- Technical Drawings and CAD Files: May be retained where necessary for manufacturing records, repeat orders, quality assurance or legitimate business purposes.
- Production and Order Records: May be retained to support quality control, customer service and contractual obligations.
- Delivery Records: May be retained where necessary to confirm fulfilment of orders and resolve disputes.
- Financial and Accounting Records: May be retained for six years or longer where required by law.
- Marketing Information: May be retained until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent, where consent applies.
Some records may need to be retained for longer where required for legal claims, contractual disputes or other lawful purposes.
When personal information is no longer required, we securely delete or anonymise it.
8. Cookies and Website Analytics
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, monitor performance and understand how visitors use our services.
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website.
The types of cookies we may use include:
- Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function correctly.
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand website traffic and visitor behaviour.
- Functional Cookies: Remember preferences and improve website usability.
- Marketing Cookies: Support advertising activities and measure campaign performance.
We provide information about the cookies and similar technologies used on our website and obtain consent where required by law. Certain technologies may qualify for legal exemptions.
Where consent is required, non-essential cookies are not placed before that consent has been obtained.
You can manage your cookie preferences through the controls available on our website, where applicable, or through your browser settings.
9. Your Data Protection Rights
Under UK data protection legislation, you have certain rights regarding your personal information.
These include:
- Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Right to Erasure: Request deletion of personal information in certain circumstances.
- Right to Restrict Processing: Ask us to limit how your personal information is processed.
- Right to Data Portability: Request the transfer of certain personal information to another organisation.
- Right to Object: Object to certain processing activities, including direct marketing.
- Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent where we rely on it as the lawful basis for processing.
These rights are subject to applicable legal conditions and exemptions.
Some financial, contractual and manufacturing records may need to be retained even where a deletion request has been made.
To exercise your rights, please contact us using the contact details provided on our website.
We will respond to valid requests within the timeframes required by applicable data protection legislation.
10. Marketing Communications
We may contact you with information about our plasma cutting services, related manufacturing services or relevant business updates where permitted by law.
Marketing communications may be sent by email, telephone or other appropriate channels.
Where consent is required, we will obtain it before sending marketing communications.
You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions provided or contacting us directly.
Opting out of marketing will not prevent us from sending essential communications relating to your enquiry, order or existing services.
11. Third-Party Websites
Our website may contain links to external websites operated by third parties.
Plasma Cutting is not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of these websites.
We recommend reviewing the privacy policies of external websites before providing personal information.
12. International Data Transfers
Some third-party service providers may process or store personal information outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal information is transferred internationally, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with UK data protection legislation.
These may include UK adequacy regulations or approved contractual arrangements.
You can contact us to request further information about applicable international data transfer safeguards.
13. Children’s Privacy
Our plasma cutting services are intended for businesses, manufacturers, engineering companies, fabrication contractors, property developers and individuals arranging metal cutting work.
Our website and enquiry services are intended for adults and authorised representatives of organisations.
We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children through our website.
If we become aware that personal information has been collected from a child without an appropriate lawful basis, we will take reasonable steps to delete it unless retention is legally required.
14. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our business operations, website functionality, services or legal requirements.
Any updates will be published on this page.
We recommend reviewing this policy occasionally to remain informed about how we handle your personal information.
15. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, how we process personal information or your data protection rights, please contact us using the contact details provided on our website.
Plasma Cutting
A trading style of Alfa Industrial Services Ltd
Registered in England and Wales
Company Number: 06732342
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent data protection regulator.
You can contact the ICO through its official website at www.ico.org.uk.
We encourage you to contact us first so that we can address any concerns directly.