Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Scotia Automation Ltd collects, uses, stores and protects personal information when you use our website, contact us, make an enquiry, become a client, use our client area or interact with our services.
How we look after your information
We only collect personal information where we have a lawful reason to do so. We use it to respond to enquiries, provide automation services, manage client relationships, operate our website, improve our services and meet our legal obligations.
We do not sell personal information. Where we share information, we do so with trusted service providers, professional advisers, delivery or installation partners, technology partners or public authorities where this is necessary and lawful.
1. Who we are
Scotia Automation Ltd is the controller of the personal information described in this Privacy Policy. This means we decide why and how personal information is used.
Scotia Automation Ltd
Shealinghill
Lochfoot
Dumfries
DG2 8NJ
United Kingdom
Privacy contact
Please contact us through our website contact form or by post if you have a privacy question or want to exercise your data protection rights.
Contact usIf Scotia Automation Ltd appoints a dedicated Data Protection Officer or a specific privacy email address, those details should be added to this section.
2. Information we collect
The information we collect depends on how you interact with us and which services you use.
Contact and identity details
Name, business name, job title, postal address, email address, telephone number and other details you provide when you contact us.
Enquiry and service details
Information about your enquiry, site, project, automation requirements, equipment, support requests, quotations, orders and service history.
Client area information
Account, access, job, maintenance, equipment and support information where you use our client portal or related support services.
Payment and transaction details
Billing information, invoice records, payment status, purchase history and related commercial records. We do not ask you to send full payment card details through general website forms.
Website and technical data
IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, approximate location, referral source, cookie identifiers and security logs.
Marketing preferences
Your communication preferences, consent choices, unsubscribe requests and records of whether you have agreed to non-essential cookies or marketing communications.
Special category data and children
Our website and services are intended for business users and are not aimed at children. We do not intentionally collect special category personal information, such as health, biometric, racial or religious information, through our website. Please do not include sensitive personal information in general enquiry forms unless it is strictly necessary for your request.
3. How we use personal information
Under UK data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for each use of personal information. The table below explains the main ways we use information and the lawful bases we usually rely on.
| Purpose | Personal information used | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| Responding to enquiries and requests for demos, quotes or information | Contact details, enquiry details, business information and correspondence | Legitimate interests and, where steps are taken before a contract, contract |
| Providing products, installation, engineering, automation and support services | Client details, project details, site information, service records and communications | Contract and legitimate interests |
| Managing client accounts, orders, invoices and payments | Identity, contact, transaction, billing and account information | Contract, legal obligation and legitimate interests |
| Operating and securing our website, systems and client area | Technical data, access logs, account information and security records | Legitimate interests and legal obligation |
| Sending relevant business updates, service information or marketing | Contact details, business details and marketing preferences | Consent where required, and legitimate interests where permitted by law |
| Using analytics to understand and improve website performance | Cookie identifiers, usage data, device data and approximate location | Consent for non-essential cookies; legitimate interests for necessary security analytics |
| Meeting legal, tax, accounting, regulatory and insurance obligations | Records needed for compliance, dispute handling, audits and reporting | Legal obligation and legitimate interests |
Legitimate interests
Where we rely on legitimate interests, we only do so after considering our business need, the possible impact on you and your reasonable expectations. Our legitimate interests include running and improving our business, responding to enquiries, supporting clients, keeping our systems secure and promoting relevant business services.
4. Cookies and similar technologies
Cookies are small files or similar technologies placed on your device when you use a website. They help a website work, remember choices, measure performance or support marketing.
Essential cookies
These are needed for the website to work, support security, enable forms, remember privacy choices or provide a service you have asked for. They do not usually require consent.
Analytics cookies
These help us understand how visitors use the website so we can improve content and performance. Where required, we only use these after you have given consent.
Marketing and embedded content
These may support advertising, social media features, videos, maps or content from other websites. Where required, these are only set with your consent.
Your cookie choices
You can manage cookies through our cookie banner or your browser settings. You can withdraw consent for non-essential cookies at any time. Blocking some cookies may affect how the website works.
Under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, we must tell you about cookies and, unless an exemption applies, ask for your active consent before placing non-essential cookies or similar technologies on your device.
5. Sharing personal information
We only share personal information where it is necessary, lawful and proportionate. We may share information with the following categories of recipients:
- Website, hosting, cloud, email and IT support providers.
- Client portal, CRM, project management and service management providers.
- Analytics and cookie technology providers where permitted.
- Payment, banking, accounting and invoicing providers.
- Professional advisers, insurers, auditors and legal advisers.
- Suppliers, manufacturers, installation partners and delivery partners where needed to fulfil your request or project.
- Technology partners, including robotics or automation partners, where required for product support, deployment or warranty handling.
- Public authorities, regulators, courts or law enforcement where required by law.
- Prospective buyers or professional advisers if our business or assets are reorganised, sold or transferred.
When we use service providers, we expect them to protect personal information and only use it in line with our instructions, unless they are acting as an independent controller under data protection law.
6. International transfers
Some of our website, cloud, analytics, communications or technology providers may process personal information outside the United Kingdom. Where personal information is transferred internationally, we take steps designed to protect it in line with UK data protection law.
These steps may include using providers based in countries covered by UK adequacy regulations, or putting in place appropriate safeguards such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, the UK Addendum to EU standard contractual clauses or other approved transfer mechanisms.
7. How long we keep information
We keep personal information only for as long as we need it for the purposes described in this policy, including to provide services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes and maintain business records.
Enquiries
We usually keep enquiry records for as long as needed to respond, follow up and manage our relationship, unless we need to keep them longer for legal, contractual or business reasons.
Client and project records
We keep client, project, service, maintenance and support records for the duration of the relationship and for a reasonable period afterwards, especially where records may be needed for warranty, safety, support, insurance or legal purposes.
Financial records
Accounting, tax, invoicing and transaction records are normally kept for at least six years where required for UK tax, accounting or legal compliance.
Marketing records
We keep marketing preferences until you unsubscribe, withdraw consent or ask us to stop, and may keep a suppression record so we know not to contact you again.
Website logs
Technical and security logs are kept for a limited period unless we need them longer to investigate security issues, prevent fraud or comply with legal obligations.
Legal claims
We may keep relevant records for longer where necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
8. Security
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure. These may include access controls, account permissions, secure systems, supplier due diligence, backups and staff awareness.
No website, email system or online service can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Please take care when sending information to us and avoid sending sensitive information unless it is necessary.
9. Your data protection rights
Under UK data protection law, you have rights over your personal information. Some rights are not absolute and may depend on our lawful basis or other legal requirements.
Access
You can ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Rectification
You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Erasure
You can ask us to delete personal information in certain circumstances.
Restriction
You can ask us to restrict how we use your information in certain circumstances.
Objection
You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
Portability
You can ask for certain information in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format.
Withdraw consent
Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
Automated decisions
You have rights relating to solely automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects. We do not currently make such decisions through this website.
We may need to verify your identity before responding to a rights request. We normally respond within one month, unless the request is complex or we are legally allowed more time.
10. Contact us about privacy
If you have a question about this Privacy Policy, want to exercise your rights or are unhappy with how we have handled your personal information, please contact us first so we can try to resolve it.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office, the UK supervisory authority for data protection.
ICO details
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: ico.org.uk
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our website, services, technology, suppliers or legal obligations. The latest version will be published on this page with the date of the most recent update.