GTC

The following terms and conditions apply to all our offers, sales, deliveries and services, unless otherwise agreed in writing and provided that the customer is an entrepreneur within the meaning of § 14 BGB (German Civil Code). Customer's terms and conditions do generally not apply to our business. Customer‘s terms and conditions may only come into effect if and to the extent that we expressly agree to them in writing. 

1. Offer and Conclusion of Contract

1.1    Our offers are generally non-binding and should only be understood as an invitation to place an order.

1.2    Customer’s orders shall only be deemed accepted if they are confirmed by us in writing. Our order confirmation is decisive for the scope of delivery.

1.3    Ancillary or side agreements to or changes of an already confirmed order require written confirmation by us. 

1.4    Specifications or other documents that influence our delivery or service must be transmitted to BINDER with the order and signed by both parties. Unilateral references to documents in the order are not valid and will not be taken into account by BINDER.  

1.5    We reserve all property rights and copyrights to cost estimates, drawings and other documents (collectively referred to as "documents"); the documents may not be made accessible to third parties. Documents belonging to our offers must be returned to us immediately upon our request if the order is not placed. 

1.6    The technical data specified in our catalogue(s) apply exclusively to devices in the standard version. Modifications through options, conversions or production in accordance with "BINDER Individual" will lead to deviating performance data. 

1.7    If technical changes are made to our devices after submission of our offer, we may deliver the technically modified version. In doing so, we are entitled to deviations from illustrations, drawings, descriptions, colours, dimensions, weight, quality and other information, provided that these changes are reasonable for the customer taking into account the interests of both parties. 

1.8    If the customer has received an order confirmation and does not ask for change requests within 5 working days, the order confirmation shall be deemed accepted. . 

1.9    The customer may only cancel an order without good cause or withdraw from a confirmed order if BINDER expressly agrees to this action. In such a case, BINDER may charge a cancellation fee of up to 25% of the order value or demand a reasonable amount for services already rendered and/or expenses incurred. Both parties reserve the right to prove higher or lower damages. 

2. Prices

2.1    Unless agreed seperately between the Parties, our prices are "Ex Works" (Incoterms 2020).

2.2    For services provided later than 4 months after conclusion of the contract, we may invoice any wage and/or material price increases that have occurred after the offer has been submitted with a reasonable cost surcharge.

2.3    For orders under 500.00 EURO (excl. VAT) we charge a minimum quantity surcharge, also called handling flat rate, in the amount of 25.00 EURO. The surcharge will be shown on the order confirmation and on the invoice. 

3. Payment

3.1    Our invoices are to be paid within 30 days of the invoice date without deduction. For new customers or customers with – at our discretion – insufficient creditworthiness or liquidity, we are entitled to demand advance payment. Services are due immediately net cash. 

In order to ensure a smooth processing of payment transactions, the following information is required when executing a payment: 

• Indication of our order or invoice number
• Indication of the customer number
• Indication of the customer‘s VAT-ID-number
• Indication of the invoice recipient (e-mail address)

Additionally, the customer must pay exactly the amount as stated on our invoice. Additional or reduced amounts cannot be allocated.

If the aforementioned conditions are not met, a correct booking of the payment of the customer cannot be guaranteed. We will then post the payment against the oldest outstanding invoice of the customer. Subsequently, rebookings are no longer possible. In principle, we can offset any payment by the customer against the oldest outstanding claim. 

The IBAN or SWIFT/BIC identification data specified on the invoice has to be used for all bank transfers.

If even one of the aforementioned conditions is not met, delivery delays may occur, which we are not responsible for.

3.2    All invoices shall be transmitted exclusively in the electronic form.

3.3    Payments made in bank transactions are only valid to the extent that we can freely dispose of them at a bank. Invoice settlement by cheque and/or bill of exchange shall only take place on account of payment and requires our prior express consent in the event of bills of exchange. The customer shall bear all costs associated with the payment by bill of exchange and cheque. We are not liable for the timeliness of the protest.

3.4    If the payment period mentioned under para. 3.1 above is not met, we are entitled to demand default interest in the amount of 12 % per annum. We reserve the right to assert a higher damage caused by default.

3.5    The customer is only entitled to set-off rights if his counterclaims have been legally established, are undisputed or have been acknowledged by us. Due to disputed counterclaims, the customer is not entitled to any right of retention.

3.6    If justified doubts arise as to the solvency of the customer or if insolvency proceedings are applied against his assets, all claims arising from the business relationship shall become due immediately. In addition, we are entitled to demand advance payments, cash on delivery or security. 

4. Time of Delivery

4.1    Dates for our deliveries are only binding if we expressly confirm them in writing. The delivery period begins with the dispatch of the order confirmation, but never before we have received the documents to be procured by the customer, if such are required. 

4.2    The delivery period or the delivery date shall be deemed to have been met if the delivery item has been handed over to the carrier by the time it expires. 

4.3    The delivery period shall be extended appropriately: 

• if BINDER does not receive the information that we need to fulfil the contract in good time, or if the customer subsequently requests changes or additions to the originally ordered goods.
• if obstacles occur that BINDER cannot avert despite the use of due care, regardless of whether they arise at BINDER, at the customer or at a third party (e.g. at a supplier of BINDER). Such obstacles include, for example, export and import restrictions, boycott orders of governmental or supranational organizations, official measures or omissions; labour disputes, and other operational disruptions through no fault of their own; epidemics, natural events; hacker attacks and terrorist activities as well as war. 
• if the customer or third parties engaged by him are in arrears with the work to be carried out by them or with the fulfillment of their contractual obligations, or if the customer does not comply with the terms of payment.

4.4    Partial deliveries shall be permissible to a reasonable extent.

4.5    In the case of orders against prepayment, the order will only be scheduled after receipt of payment. From this point on, the customer will receive our order confirmation within 24 hours, stating a shipping date. 

4.6    Force majeure, operational disruptions, strikes, pandemics or other obstacles for us or our suppliers for which we are not responsible release us from the obligation to deliver for the duration of the disruption and its effects. If we are already in a delay in delivery, the delay shall not be extended by the occurrence of one of the above-mentioned circumstances. We will inform the customer as soon as such circumstances occur. The same shall apply in the event that the obstacle no longer exists.  

5. Transfer of Risk / Shipping and Packaging / Transport Damages

5.1    Unless otherwise stated in our order confirmation, our delivery will be carried out "EX WORKS" (Incoterms 2020).  

In the case of EX WORKS deliveries, the following also applies: The goods must be picked up within four calendar weeks after provision. If this deadline is exceeded, we store the goods and reserve the right to charge the customer at least 0.5% of the invoice amount of the stored delivery per month or part thereof up to a maximum of 10% of the respective invoice amount. 

5.2    If dispatch is delayed due to circumstances for which the customer is responsible, the risk of accidental loss or deterioration shall pass to the customer from the day of readiness for dispatch. Even in these cases, we store the goods at the expense of the customer and are then entitled to charge the customer at least 0.5% of the invoice amount of the stored delivery per month or part thereof up to a maximum of 10% of the respective invoice amount. At the request of the customer and at his expense, we insure the goods against the usual risks. 

5.3    We choose the packaging and shipping method at our discretion. The customer is obliged to inspect the delivered goods immediately and to report recognizable transport damage to the delivering carrier on site immediately and to report it to us immediately, at the latest within 1 working day, in writing and with pictures. If the customer fails to do so, the goods shall be deemed to have been accepted with regard to recognizable transport damage.
The customer is also obliged to report any transport damage that is not externally visible within 5 working days of receipt of the goods in writing and with pictures (damage and packaging). If the customer fails to do so, the goods shall be deemed to have been accepted with regard to transport damage that is not externally visible.

6. Warranty / Notice of Defect

6.1    We guarantee the design, manufacture and materials being free of defects and in accordance with the respective state of the art as well as the manufacture of the goods being in accordance with the technical standards applicable in Germany. 

6.2    The warranty period is 24 months from the date of delivery. The following products are excluded from this warranty period: 

• Spare parts: 12 months 
• BINDER Ultra-deepfreezers: 5 years. Except: 
  • 3 years  for the batteries of the option battery-backed alarm system
  • 12 years for vacuum thermal insulation panels.

6.3    From the warranty excluded are:

• Wearing parts
• Damage resulting from improper handling, operation or use and improper use. Damage due  to own fault
• Damage due to chemical, electronic or weather-related influences
• Damage caused by spare parts that are not original BINDER spare parts
• Damage caused by unauthorized redesign / modification of our devices by customer or third parties.

6.4    The customer must inspect the goods immediately upon receipt for defectiveness and immediately notify obvious or recognizable defects in writing. Complaints about recognizable defects that are not transport damage (see Section 5.3 above) can only be taken into account if they are reported to us in writing within 10 working days of receipt of the goods at the latest. 

Hidden defects have tob e claimed immediately after discovery in writing. 

6.5    If the delivered goods actually have a defect within the warranty period, the customer may demand supplementary performance („Nacherfüllung“). We decide whether to deliver a defect-free new item or to remedy the defect. In the event of remedying the defect, we shall assume all expenses necessary for the purpose of remedying the defect, in particular packaging, transport, travel or labour costs, insofar as these are not increased by the fact that the goods were brought to a place other than the place of delivery and provided that the defect occurs within 24 months of the date of delivery (see Section 6.2 above). 

Old parts replaced as part of a defect rectification shall become our property. They have to be returned to us on request at our expense. 

If the supplementary performance fails for the second time in the case of the same defect within the warranty period, the customer is entitled, at his discretion, to demand withdrawal or an appropriate price reduction. Further warranty rights are excluded. In particular, the customer may only claim damages in accordance with the provisions of sec. 7 listed below. 

We shall not be liable for any repair work (maintenance and/or repair) carried out by the customer or by third parties improperly or unauthorised personnel without our prior consent. 

6.6    WARNING: For devices that run in unattended continuous operation at the end customer (24 hours/7 days per week/365 days per year), especially for CO2 incubators, climate test chambers and ultra-low temperature freezers, we strongly recommend dividing the samples stored in the cabinets into at least two devices in the event of storage of irretrievable samples. If the customer is a dealer, he is obliged to warn his end customers accordingly. 

7. Liability

7.1    We shall be liable in accordance with the statutory provisions if the customer asserts claims for damages based on our intentional or negligent conduct, including that of our vicarious agents and legal representatives, and our conduct results in injury to life, body or health. 

7.2    Furthermore, we are liable for damages resulting from the intentional or grossly negligent violation of goods or the assets of the customer by us or our vicarious agents or legal representatives or vicarious agents. 

7.3    Finally, we are liable for contractually typical, foreseeable damages resulting from the slightly negligent violation of goods or the assets of the customer by us, our legal representatives or vicarious agents, provided that an obligation has been violated by us, the fulfillment of which is essential for the execution of the contract (so-called „cardinal obligation“). 

7.4    Any further liability, in particular due to loss of profit, is excluded, except in the case of intent and gross negligence. 

7.5    Our liability for tort is also limited or excluded in accordance with the above rules in accordance with Sections 7.1 to 7.3. Claims arising from the Product Liability Act due to bodily injury or damage to health remain unaffected by the limitation of liability.

8. Reservation of Title

8.1    We reserve title to the delivered goods until the customer has settled all claims arising from our business relationship. The customer may only sell the reserved goods in the normal course of business and may neither pledge them nor assign them by way of security; he must inform us immediately of any access by third parties. The customer is obliged to secure our reserved rights when reselling the goods on credit, in particular to pass on the retention of title to his customer.

8.2    The customer is obliged to insure the reserved goods against loss and damage during the existence of the retention of title and to notify us of this in writing. If this is not done, we are entitled to take out the insurance ourselves at the expense of the customer. 

8.3    The customer assigns his claim from the resale of the reserved goods to us in advance as security to the extent of our ownership share in the sold goods. We accept this assignment already now. The customer is entitled to collect the claims as long as he meets his payment obligations to us and does not fall into financial decline. If the realization of our claims appears to us to be endangered, the customer must enable us to take back the reserved goods at our request or inform his customers of the assignment of claims and provide us with all necessary information and documents. In addition, the right of withdrawal expires in the event of a significant deterioration in the financial situation of the customer. A significant deterioration in the financial situation is presumed for the last 10 days before cessation of payments or before an application for the opening of insolvency proceedings. The return of goods subject to reservation does not imply a withdrawal from the contract.

Should the customer have its registered office abroad and its cooperation is required to agree on a retention of title (e.g. in the case of a register entry), the customer shall take all necessary measures to agree on an effective retention of title in favour of BINDER. 

8.4    We undertake to release the securities to which we are entitled to the extent that their value exceeds the claims to be secured by more than 20%, insofar as these have not yet been settled. 

9. Place of Performance

Place of performance shall be at BINDER’s registered office, i.e. at the moment: DE-78532 Tuttlingen.

10. Copyright and License Law: Software Programs / Operating Instructions

10.1    Should our deliveries also include fee-based software programs developed by us (e.g. APT-COM), the following shall apply in the event of resale of such programs by the customer: 

• The customer is authorized to resell the software; however, neither the customer himself nor the respective customer of the customer receives the right of use (license) to the software program developed by us solely through the (re)sale via the customer.
• The customer has to point out to its customer that he only receives permission to use it after conclusion of another contract with us (so-called software license agreement), this is done by filling in and sending the attached registration card by the customer to us; the customer expressly informs his respective customer about the registration card system.
• The customer shall hand over to the customer the software package (consisting of software DVD, hardware and additional components if applicable, operating instructions, our General Terms and Conditions for Software License Agreements ("Software License Terms") and registration card) as received from us. 
• The customer has to name in writing the customers to whom he has sold our software. 

Furthermore, we grant the customer a non-exclusive right of use to the APT-COM software. The software is provided exclusively for use on the delivery item intended for this purpose. Use of the software on more than one system is prohibited. 

The customer may only reproduce, revise or translate the software to the extent permitted by law (§§ 96 a ff Copyright Act). The granting of sublicenses is not permitted. 

In all other respects, our „Software License Terms and Conditions“ apply both to the APT-COM software and to other software that the customer purchases from us or downloads from our homepage, regardless of whether the software is subject to a fee or free of charge.  

10.2    The BINDER operating and service instructions are protected by copyright. The unauthorized making of copies and the transfer to third parties are strictly prohibited. We reserve the right to prosecute and, if necessary, to assert claims for damages in the event of infringement. 

11. Taking Back of BINDER Climate Chambers

11.1    We take back BINDER devices sold to professional end customers after 13.08.2005 after termination of use in accordance with the „Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act“ (of 23.03.2005, Federal Law Gazette I p. 762) and dispose of them properly. However, the end customer has to assume the return and disposal costs incurred or reimburse us. Additionally, the end customer must inform us in writing about the termination of use. 
Our claim to reimbursement of costs by the end customer does expire two years after the end of use. This two-year period begins at the earliest upon receipt of the end customer's written notification to us of the termination of use. 

11.2    In the event that the customer is a dealer, he must impose on his customer - if he is also commercially active - the obligation that the customer of the customer must dispose of the device properly at his own expense after termination of use. If the customer fails to make such an agreement, he himself must take back our devices at his own expense after termination of use and dispose of them properly. We recommend that the dealer ensure that the statute of limitations of his claim against his customer for fee-based disposal only begins after the end of use. 

11.3    If our devices are sold to a customer based in a country outside the EU/EEA, we will not take back the devices after the end of use.

12. Place of Jurisdiction and Applicable Law

12.1    For all disputes arising from this contract, if the customer is a merchant/salesman, a legal entity under public law or a special fund under public law, the action must be brought before the court responsible for us at our registered office (currently DE-78532 Tuttlingen). In addition, we are also entitled to take the customer to court at his registered office. 

12.2    German substantive law shall be applicable excluding the UN-Convention on the International Sale of Goods („Vienna Convention of 1980).

13. Secrecy and Data Protection

BINDER and the customer undertake to treat all documents, information, aids and software received in connection with this contract and not generally accessible confidentially as their own trade secrets even after termination of the contract, not to disseminate them unnecessarily within the company and not to make them accessible to third parties – with the exception of subcontractors – either in whole or in part. 

Insofar as BINDER processes personal data in its work on delivery and documentation, BINDER will comply with the customer's instructions and the data protection laws.  
 

The terms and conditions that follow apply to all software programs that we provide to the customer, regardless of whether this takes place on a free-of-charge basis or subject to a charge, and regardless of the way in which the customer obtains the software (by downloading it or obtaining it on a data carrier), provided that the customer is an entrepreneur as defined by Section 14 of the German Civil Code. Any general terms and conditions that the customer may have in place for providing and licensing software shall not be recognized as a rule.

1. Formation and Subject Matter of the Agreement

1.1 BINDER shall grant the customer the right to use one (or more) of the following software programs:

• APT-COM 3 DataControlSystem software (in one of the various editions: Basic, Standard, or GLP) (subject to a charge);
• Free demo version of APT-COM 3 (without the option of storing data);
• BCW Time Program Editor; BCW Week Program Editor (both free of charge);
• MB2 Time Program Editor; MB2 Week Program Editor (both free of charge);
• Any other software programs that BINDER provides to the customer free of charge as a download from the BINDER homepage or in any other way (e.g., via email).

Furthermore, BINDER shall provide the customer with the following items associated with the software program in question: the operating manual (provided one is available for the program), the additional hardware components (if available), and any other associated material (if available – hereinafter referred to collectively as the “software”) that the customer has acquired directly from us or from an authorized dealer.

1.2 Service partners of BINDER are also considered to be customers in the context of these general software licensing T&Cs. If a BINDER service partner receives software from BINDER via email or wishes to do so, it must first grant its express written consent to the application of these general software licensing T&Cs. This consent may also be granted via email.

1.3 The customer shall receive the right to use the software in question on acceptance of these terms and conditions of business; at the same time, a licensing agreement shall be formed between BINDER and the customer. The following shall apply to software that is subject to a charge (APT-COM 3): when the data carrier for the APT-COM 3 software is provided, the customer shall receive a registration card which it must complete and return to us. The software licensing agreement between us and the customer shall not be formed until we have received the registration card. Additionally, the customer may not use the software program that is subject to a charge until it has correctly completed and returned the registration card.
The free-of-charge software must be downloaded directly from our homepage. In this case, the licensing agreement between us and the customer shall be formed when these terms and conditions of business are accepted by clicking the applicable button when downloading the software program in question.

1.4 If the customer is unable to consent to the obligations specified in these terms and conditions of business or does not wish to do so, it shall not be entitled to install or use the software. In such cases, the software may be returned to us or to the dealer, depending on where the software was acquired from, and the purchase price reimbursed. However, the purchase price for programs subject to a charge shall only be reimbursed if the seal on the case of the data carrier is intact.

2. Scope and Extent of License

2.1 In the case of software programs that are subject to a charge, the license that is granted relates to the use of the software at one workstation and on one PC (i.e., a single-user license). The license that is subject to a charge is not a network license. Free software may be used by multiple users on different PCs.

2.2 The customer may use both the free-of-charge software programs and the software programs that are subject to a charge with no time limitations; the license shall be granted on a nonexclusive basis in both cases (free of charge and subject to a charge)

3. Installation/System Requirements

3.1 The software program and the additional hardware components supplied with it (if applicable) may be installed by either the customer itself or a service station we have authorized. The latter case requires a separate order.

3.2 Before the installation commences, a backup copy of the PC must be made. If the software program and additional hardware (plug-in card and converter) (if provided) have not been installed in accordance with the operating manual supplied or by an authorized service station, we shall accept no liability in the event of software program handling errors or data loss.

3.3 The customer’s system must meet the requirements outlined in the operating manual for using the software

4. Hotline

When this software licensing agreement is formed, we shall make a Service Hotline available to the customer. The customer may use the Hotline at any time. We shall make every effort to provide the customer with the best possible advice and support immediately in the event of any problems with the software that is supplied.

5. Updates

The customer may download updates for the acquired software program from our homepage within the scope of this licensing agreement. If required by the customer, we shall supply and install the updates in question in return for a fee.

6. Reproduction Rights

6.1 The customer may reproduce the software supplied by us if reproduction is necessary in order to use the program as intended. Examples of necessary reproduction include installing the software program on the mass storage facility of the customer’s PC from the original data carrier, and loading the software program to the working memory. The same applies to software programs that are downloaded directly from our homepage.

6.2 Additionally, reproduction is permitted for backup purposes. However, only one backup copy may be made and stored. This backup copy must be marked as a backup copy of the software program that has been provided. The above notwithstanding, standard regular (automatic) backups of the hard drive on which the software program is stored and used are permitted.

6.3 Any other types of reproduction, including sending the program code to a printer, are not permitted.

6.4 If the customer changes the hardware, the software program must be deleted from the mass storage facility of the hardware that has been used up to this point. Simultaneous saving, storing or use on more than one item of hardware is permitted.

7. Decompiling and Program Changes

7.1 Retranslating the program code that has been provided into other code formats (decompiling), as well as any other types of reverse engineering of the various manufacturing stages of the software that has been provided, are prohibited.

7.2 Removing copy protection or similar protection routines is not permitted as a general rule. The customer may only remove copy protection or the protection routine if the protection mechanism impedes unobstructed use of the program and we are unable to provide a remedy within a reasonable period of time despite a request having been submitted with this in mind. The burden of proof shall be on the customer in cases where the protection mechanism is impeding or preventing unobstructed use.

7.3 The customer must not remove or change any serial numbers or any other features that serve to identify the program.

7.4 Any warranty shall be rendered void if direct interventions are made in the files of the software that has been acquired.

8. Reselling and Subleasing

8.1 The customer may sell or give away the acquired software program, including the operating manual and any accompanying materials, to a third party on a permanent basis if the third party in question declares its consent that these agreement terms and conditions shall continue to apply to it. In the event that the software program is passed on, the customer must hand over all copies of the program, including any existing backup copies, to the new user or must destroy any copies that are not handed over. Passing on the software program shall mean that the customer no longer has the right to use it. Furthermore, the customer shall undertake to comply with the responsibility to inform pursuant to Clause 8 below.

8.2 The customer may not sublease the acquired software, including the operating manual and any other accompanying materials, to third parties for profit-making purposes. The customer may loan the software (i.e., provide it at no charge) if the third party declares its consent that these agreement terms and conditions shall continue to apply to it and if the customer hands over all copies of the program, including any existing backup copies, to the third party or destroys any copies that are not handed over. During the period over which the software is being provided to the third party, the customer shall not have the right to use the program itself.

8.3 The customer may not provide the software to third parties on this basis if there is a reasonable suspicion that the third party in question is in violation of the agreement terms and conditions; in particular, if there is a suspicion that the third party is making prohibited reproductions

9. Responsibility to Inform

In the event that the customer resells the software, it shall notify us of the name and the full address of the buyer in writing, provided that the buyer is an entrepreneur as defined by Section 14 of the German Civil Code.

10. Warranty

10.1 The following applies to software programs that are subject to a charge: Any defects in the software that is supplied shall be resolved by us or our service stations within the warranty period of 24 months from the software’s purchase date (the date of the dealer’s invoice or the BINDER invoice shall be decisive in this case). We shall only provide warranty cover in cases where the customer has registered the program in question with us (see Clause 1.2 above). Handling errors caused by the software program or the additional hardware components being installed incorrectly and not in accordance with the operating manual shall be excluded from the warranty. Additionally, we shall provide no warranty cover in cases where the defect that is the subject of the complaint relates to an accident, to misuse or to incorrect use of the program. As well as this, we shall provide no warranty cover for defects that arise as a result of a failure to adhere to the specified hardware requirements or in the event that incompatible system drivers of other hardware components are used. There shall be no entitlement to defects being resolved at the site. We may choose to resolve the defect at your site or to have the customer return the defective goods to us. In the latter case, we shall bear the costs for the return, provided that the defect arises within the warranty period.

10.2 In the case of defects that are covered by the warranty conditions, the defect shall be resolved in the form of either repair work at no charge or a replacement delivery, at our discretion.

10.3 If it is not possible to resolve the defect within a reasonable period of time or if the repair work or replacement delivery is considered to have failed for other reasons, the customer may demand a reduction in the charge or may withdraw from the agreement, at its discretion. Repair work or a replacement delivery shall only be considered to have failed if we have been granted sufficient opportunity to perform the repair work or the replacement delivery and these actions have failed at least twice, or if the repair work or a replacement delivery is impossible, or if there is reasonable doubt concerning the chances of success, or if an unacceptable situation arises for any other reason.

10.4 We cannot provide warranty cover for free-of-charge software programs; however, in the event of a defect arising, we shall support the customer to the best of our ability in identifying and resolving the defect.

11. Obligations to Inspect and to Give Notification of Defects
The following obligations apply exclusively to software that is subject to a charge:

11.1 The customer must inspect the supplied software that is subject to a charge, including the operating manual and any other materials, within 5 working days of the software program being installed, particularly with regard to the completeness of the documents that are included and the functionality of the programming options described in the operating manual. Any defects that are identified or able to be identified during this process must be reported to us in writing within a further 5 working days. This notification of defects must contain a description in which every effort has been made to provide details of the defects.

11.2 Any claims for defects that cannot be identified during the correct inspection process described above must be asserted against us in writing within 5 working days of the defects being discovered and in compliance with the notification requirements.

11.3 In the event that the obligations to inspect and to give notification of defects are disregarded or violated, the software that is supplied shall be deemed approved in consideration of the applicable defect. The software program must be installed no more than 24 months after the software has been purchased. We shall provide no further warranty cover beyond this period.

12. Liability

12.1 We shall accept liability pursuant to the relevant legal provisions, provided that any damage compensation claims asserted by the customer are based on willful intent or gross negligence. In this respect, the actions of our representatives or vicarious agents must be attributed to us. Provided that no agreement violations as a result of willful intent are attributed to us, our liability for damage compensation shall be limited to damage of a foreseeable, typical nature.

12.2 Furthermore, we shall accept liability pursuant to the relevant legal provisions if we violate an obligation that is considered material in respect of fulfilling the agreement; in such cases, liability for damage compensation shall also be limited to damage of a foreseeable, typical nature.

12.3 Liability arising from culpable injury to life, limb, or health shall remain unaffected; the same applies to mandatory liability pursuant to the German Product Liability Act or manufacturer’s liability regulations.

12.4 Any liability beyond this shall be excluded.

13. Legal Venue and Applicable Law

13.1 If the customer is a merchant as defined by the German Commercial Code, the location of our business headquarters (Tuttlingen, Germany) shall be the legal venue for any disputes arising from this agreement.

13.2 German substantive law shall apply exclusively to this agreement, to the exclusion of the United Nations Vienna Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) from 1980.

1. Scope of Application

1.1 This Software License Agreement shall govern the rights granted to Licensee to use the APT-COM 4 Software (hereinafter referred to as the “Software”) produced by BINDER GmbH, 78532 Tuttlingen, Germany (hereinafter referred to as “BINDER”).

1.2. In addition to this Software License Agreement, certain Software components may be subject to specific terms of use which prevail over this Software License Agreement in the event of a conflict in their provisions. Terms and conditions of Licensee deviating from this Software License Agreement do not become part of this Agreement, even in cases where BINDER provides supplies or services without expressly objecting to them.

2. Subject matter

2.1. The subject matter of this Software License Agreement is the BINDER Software indicated in Art. 1.1. 2.2. The Parties agree on the assumption that the Software is protected by copyright law.

2.3. BINDER shall provide the Licensee with a copy of the Software on a data medium or electronically (e.g., via download) and shall make a version of the relevant user documentation available to Licensee (e.g., on the BINDER website).

2.4. The quality and functionality of the Software are conclusively set forth in the Specifications and, if applicable, in other descriptive documents. Any information provided in these documents shall be considered a performance specification and not a “guaranty” (Garantie). Obligations under a guaranty will only be accepted, if a description had been expressly referred to as a guaranty.

2.5. BINDER will not perform any installation and configuration services.

2.6. BINDER is not obligated to provide updates, upgrades, or technical support for the Software.

3. Grant of Rights to Use

3.1 Third party components, including open source software that BINDER provides to Licensee, either alone or as a component of the Software, are – unless otherwise agreed – primarily subject to the license agreement(s) of the corresponding producer(s), or to any open source license terms and conditions that may apply, respectively; alternatively, and in a supplementary manner, the provisions of this Art. 3 shall apply. Upon request, BINDER shall provide Licensee with these license agreements; in addition, they shall be supplied in the text file “ThirdPartyNotices.txt” in the installation folder.

3.2. Unless expressly agreed between the Parties, Licensee will be granted a non-exclusive, indefinite right, restricted to the geographical territory of Germany, in and to the Software for using it at one (1) workplace on one (1) local computer. The permissible use includes the installation of the Software, the loading into the memory, and the use by the Licensee for the intended purposes. Licensee shall not rent, loan, or grant any other kind of sublicense in and to the acquired Software, shall not be communicated to the public (neither wired nor wireless), or make it accessible to third parties, neither for or without a charge; this shall not affect the provision set forth in Art. 3.6 of this Software License Agreement. If Licensor provides Software to Licensee, the rights to use exclusively refer to the use of the Software in machine code. Licensee may not claim the surrender or disclosure of the source code.

3.3. Licensee is not granted any rights that are not expressly conferred upon Licensee. In particular, Licensee shall not rent, lease, or sublicense the Software or allow the Software to be used for or by a third party by way of time-sharing, outsourcing arrangements, or data center services (in particular, client-server environments such as Citrix) or any other paid or unpaid use of the Software for or by third parties (including, affiliated companies of Licensee), unless BINDER has granted its prior written consent.

3.4. Licensee shall make one (1) backup copy of the Software, provided, however, that it is required for safeguarding its future use. Licensee agrees to attach the notice “backup copy” to the abovementioned backup copy in a clearly visible manner and, in addition, a copyright notice that refers to BINDER.

3.5. Pursuant to section 69e of the German Copyright Act (§ 69e UrhG), Licensee has the right to decompile and reproduce the Software, if this is necessary to maintain the interoperability of the Software with other programs. However, this is subject to the condition precedent that BINDER fails to provide Licensee with the necessary information within a reasonable period upon Licensee’s request.

3.6. Licensee may provide a copy of the Software acquired to a third party for permanent use, provided, however, this Software License Agreement and the documentation are handed over at the same time. In that case, Licensee agrees to fully discontinue its use of the program, to remove all installed copies from its computer, and to delete or return to BINDER all other copies that are stored on other data media, unless Licensee is subject to statutory provisions that require a longer retention period. Upon the request of BINDER, Licensee shall confirm in writing that it has carried out the measures set forth above and, if applicable, it shall explain the grounds for a longer retention period. Furthermore, Licensee agrees to expressly bind the third party that receives the Software from it to compliance with the scope of rights granted pursuant to this Art. 3.

3.7. In the event of a use of the Software by Licensee in breach of this License Agreement, BINDER has the right to charge Licensee a lump-sum compensation in the amount of the license fees that would be incurred based on the current rates that BINDER usually charges for the excessive use. Furthermore, Licensee shall, if applicable, bear the reasonable costs for an examination in accordance with Art. 6.2 of this Software License Agreement. BINDER expressly reserves the right to assert further claims.

3.8. Characteristics that serve the purpose of program identification (e.g., copyright notices, serial numbers, etc.) shall neither be removed from the Software nor modified.

4. Statutory rights

4.1 BINDER warrants that the Software has the agreed quality and that Licensee may use the Software without infringing on third-party rights. BINDER does not assume any warranty obligations for the work results that Licensee obtains with the BINDER Software, unless this is an express part of the Specifications. Licensee is responsible for reviewing the work results obtained for their accuracy and usability for the intended activities and purposes on its own prior to their use. Licensee is aware that the Software has not been designed, tested, or certified for use in connection with high-risk activities, among others, not for its use in medical life support systems, nuclear power plants, or other areas that require a fail-safe performance.

4.2. Licensee shall inspect the Software promptly upon receipt for apparent defects and notify BINDER of defects, if any, without undue delay. Otherwise, the statutory rights (Gewährleistung) based on the defects mentioned above are expressly excluded. The same applies accordingly, if a defect of this type should become apparent at a later date. Section 377 of the German Commercial Code (HGB) shall apply.

4.3. Licensee may only assert claims based on defects that are reproducible or can be described by Licensee in a comprehensible manner. Functional impairments of the Software that are caused by Licensee's hardware or software environment, corrupted data, improper use, or any other circumstances from Licensee's sphere of responsibility shall not be deemed to be defects or errors. Furthermore, BINDER shall be released from its warranty obligations with regard to defects as to quality or defects in title if Licensee has modified the Software without prior authorization, either itself or through third parties, or if the Software has been used in violation of the Agreement (e.g., in another system environment), or in violation of the user documentation, unless Licensee can show that the defect is not related to these circumstances and the error analysis and/or rectification by BINDER is not impaired due to these circumstances.

4.4. If a defect as to quality should exist, BINDER initially has the right to subsequent performance, i.e., to subsequently improve the Software in order to rectify the defect or to make a subsequent delivery. The rectification of the defect may also mean that BINDER shows Licensee reasonable options how to avoid the effects of the defect or workarounds. BINDER shall also be deemed to have complied with its duty to subsequently improve the goods and/or services, if updates that include an automatic installation routine are provided to Licensee for download from the BINDER website and if BINDER offers Licensee telephone support in the event that installation problems should arise in connection with its warranty obligations (Nacherfüllung/subsequent performance). In the event that the subsequent performance finally fails (after a minimum of two (2) attempts at subsequent performance for each defect), Licensee may claim a reduction of the remuneration or terminate this Agreement in its own discretion. Depending on the complexity of the Software and its technical interoperability with the IT infrastructure of Licensee, more than two (2) attempts at subsequent performance may also be reasonable and Licensee may be expected to accept them. Claims to damages and reimbursement of wasted expenditures due to defects are subject to Art. 5 of this Software License Agreement.

4.5. In the event that BINDER performs services in connection with the trouble shooting or rectification of defects without being obligated to do so, it may claim a separate remuneration from Licensee on a time and materials basis based on the then-valid BINDER daily rates. In particular, this shall apply if a defect reported by Licensee cannot be demonstrated or if it is not attributable to BINDER. BINDER is not entitled to remuneration if Licensee shows that it had not realized that no defect existed and that there had been no fault on its part.

4.6. In the event of a subsequent delivery, Licensee shall adopt the new software version. In the event of a defect in title, BINDER shall provide Licensee – at the option of BINDER – with a noninfringing way of using the Software or modify the Software in such a manner that third-party rights are no longer infringed upon.

4.7. With the exception of damages, statutory claims based on defects as to quality will come under the statute of limitations within one (1) year. If the Software was sold on a data medium, the statute of limitations period begins to run upon the delivery of the Software covered by this Agreement. If the Software is sold via a download from the internet, the statute of limitations period begins to run upon the communication and activation of the login credentials for the BINDER download area. In the event of claims to damages and claims to the reimbursement for wasted expenditures, the specific provision in Art. 5 of this Software License Agreement shall apply.

4.8. The provision of updates, upgrades, and other new Software releases does not affect the warranty obligations with regard to the originally released Software and, in particular, does not result in an extension of the initial warranty period or in the commencement of a new warranty period for the supplied updates, upgrades, or any other revised Software releases.

5. Liability

5.1 BINDER shall be fully liable for damages in the event of intentional wrongdoing or gross negligence, for death, bodily injury, or health damage, subject to the provisions of the Product Liability Act, and to the extent that it had granted a guaranty.

5.2. In case of negligence, BINDER shall only be liable for a violation of a contractual duty that is of such material importance that the attainment of the purpose of the Agreement would be jeopardized so that Licensee may rightfully rely on compliance with the same (so-called cardinal duty). In these cases, BINDER shall be liable for the foreseeable and typical damage. In these cases, the liability of BINDER for all aggregate damage incidents is limited to the amount of twice the contract volume of the Software acquired.

5.3. In the event of a data loss, BINDER will be liable within the limits set forth above, but only for such damage and/or loss culpably caused by it that also would have occurred if a due, i.e., stateof-the-art, backup system, adequate in view of the risk involved, had existed at Licensee’s business operations.

5.4. Beyond this, BINDER does not assume any other liability.

5.5. The foregoing liability limitations also inure to the benefit of the corporate bodies, legal representatives, employees and vicarious agents of BINDER.

6. Software protection / audit rights

6.1 Licensee agrees to protect the Software from unauthorized third-party access. It shall take all necessary precautions to this end. In particular, it agrees to store all Software copies at a place that is protected against access by unauthorized third parties.

6.2. Licensee agrees to allow BINDER upon the request of BINDER to audit the contractual use of the Software, in particular, regarding its compliance with the contractual scope of use. As part of this audit, Licensee agrees to provide BINDER with information, to allow the inspection of any relevant documents and records, and to grant an opportunity to audit the implemented hardware and software environment. BINDER shall conduct the audit upon prior announcement at Licensee’s facilities during its regular business hours, taking the concerns of data protection and the confidential treatment of business secrets of Licensee appropriately into account. Furthermore, BINDER has the right to have the audit conducted by a third party acceptable to Licensee and that is bound to the secrecy duty in the prerequisite manner.

7. Final provisions

7.1 Modifications of and amendments to this Agreement must be in writing to be effective. The same applies to a waiver or modification of the mandatory written form. Written documents that are transmitted electronically do not meet the mandatory written form requirement.

7.2. This Software License Agreement is governed by German law, and the UN Convention on the Sale of Goods is excluded.

7.3. The place of performance is the place of business of BINDER. Exclusive place of jurisdiction for all disputes in connection with this License Agreement is also the BINDER place of business, if Licensee is a business person or a public law legal entity or does not have a general place of jurisdiction in Germany.

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Click here to download the General Terms and Conditions of Service

The following Terms and Conditions shall apply to all services offered and carried out by BINDER unless otherwise agreed in writing and provided that the customer is an entrepreneur as defined by the German Civil Code [BGB] and the customer has its registered office in Germany. The customer’s general terms and conditions of business shall not apply as a matter of principle unless and insofar as we expressly agree to this in writing.

1. Conclusion of a Contract

After the customer has made an inquiry by telephone or in writing, an order is concluded by us sending our corresponding written confirmation by email.

2. Scope of Supply

2.1. Our work is usually carried out from Monday to Friday, 8 am – 5 pm. Work is carried out in accordance with the content of our written confirmation.

2.2 Work is carried out in accordance with BINDER specifications and the state-of-the-art recognized at the time of conclusion of the contract. A unit will be considered to have been repaired or refurbished when it has been restored to a condition suitable for its intended use.

2.3 Our work does not extend to power and water supply lines or to other work outside the units.

2.4 In the event that a safety risk not caused by BINDER is identified, our services shall be interrupted until this risk has been eliminated.

2.5 In individual cases, we are entitled to refuse to carry out a service if, in our sole discretion, the unit concerned is no longer repairable or worthy of repair, or if it is no longer possible to procure the necessary spare parts.

3. Obligations of the Customer

3.1 The customer must ensure that our service technicians have unimpeded access to the BINDER unit. The unit must be empty and prepared such that the relevant service can be carried out.

3.2 The unit being serviced must be cleaned and decontaminated by the customer before the service work begins. If this is not the case and BINDER has to clean or decontaminate the unit, any costs incurred as a result of this shall be borne by the customer.

3.3 The customer shall provide us with the best possible support as we carry out the service. The customer undertakes to cooperate properly while our services are being carried out. If the customer has special access requirements or procedures which delay the performance of the actual service, BINDER will invoice these separately at a later date.

3.4 After completion of the service work, the customer must sign a corresponding performance record.

4. Remuneration and Payment

4.1 BINDER shall invoice the service as described in the quotation either as a lump sum or according to the actual expenses incurred. The invoice shall be issued immediately after the service has been carried out and shall include the applicable value added tax.

4.2 Invoices for the provision of services issued by BINDER shall be settled in accordance with the agreed terms of payment. Set-offs, reductions and withholdings are excluded except for in the case that the customer’s alleged counterclaims or rights have been legally established or recognized by us. In the event of default of payment by the customer, the statutory provisions shall apply.

5. Warranty / Disclaimer

5.1 We provide a warranty of 12 months on the services we carry out as well as on original BINDER spare parts, commencing on the date of acceptance of our service by the customer.

5.2 In the case that the performance was defective, the customer shall notify BINDER about this immediately in writing. BINDER shall then have the right to rectification, for which sufficient time shall be granted. If further rectification also fails or if rectification is refused by us, the customer may demand a reduction of the price paid or the costs incurred.

5.3 Further rights and claims of the customer, in particular for damages, including loss of profit, are excluded, except for in the case that we or our vicarious agents are guilty of intent or gross negligence.

6. Transfer of Rights and Obligations to Subcontractors

BINDER has the right to transfer rights and obligations to third parties, in particular to have services performed by third parties, provided that these third parties guarantee fulfillment of the contract.

7. Force Majeure

Events that constitute force majeure, such as war, unforeseeable natural events, pandemics, etc., entitle us to postpone carrying out our services by a reasonable period of time or, in the case that we are unable to carry out the services in the foreseeable future, to withdraw from the contract. Claims for damages made by the customer in the event of force majeure are excluded to the extent permitted by law (see Clause 5.3 above).

8. Applicable Law and Place of Jurisdiction

8.1 In the case that the customer is a merchant, a legal person under public law or a special fund under public law, legal action in the event of any disputes arising shall be brought before the court of jurisdiction for our registered office (D-78532 Tuttlingen). Furthermore, we also shall be entitled to take legal action against the customer at the customer’s place of business.

8.2 German substantive law always shall apply, to the exclusion of the United Nations Vienna Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods [CISG] from 1980.