Terms and Conditions | Project Materials

1. General

1.1 Scope

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern the use of all services and websites operated by Envestis SA ("we", "us", "the Company") under the projectmaterials.com domain, including:

projectmaterials.com — company website and service descriptions
blog.projectmaterials.com — technical knowledge base and wiki for the piping industry
app.projectmaterials.com — web application for pipingSHOP, getPAID, and related services
Any subdomain of projectmaterials.com

By accessing or using any of these websites or services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use our services.

1.2 Definitions

User: any person or entity accessing our websites or services
Seller: a piping supplier using getPAID to receive payments or pipingSHOP to sell products
Buyer: a purchaser using getPAID to pay for goods or pipingSHOP to purchase products
Platform: the web application at app.projectmaterials.com
Content: all text, images, data, software, and materials available on our websites

1.3 Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms at any time. The "Last Updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. For material changes affecting paid services (getPAID, pipingSHOP), we will notify registered users by email at least 30 days in advance.

2. Website and Knowledge Base (blog.projectmaterials.com)

2.1 Content

The technical articles, dimension charts, material specifications, and educational content on blog.projectmaterials.com are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we do not warrant that all information is complete, current, or error-free.

2.2 No Engineering Advice

The content on our knowledge base does not constitute professional engineering, procurement, or technical advice. Always verify specifications against the applicable standards (ASME, ASTM, API, EN, ISO) and consult qualified professionals before making engineering or purchasing decisions.

2.3 Intellectual Property

All content on blog.projectmaterials.com is the intellectual property of Envestis SA or its licensors. You may reference and link to our articles freely. You may not reproduce, republish, or redistribute substantial portions of our content without prior written permission.

2.4 Supplier Directory

The supplier directory on blog.projectmaterials.com lists piping suppliers for informational purposes. Listing does not imply endorsement, certification, or any commercial relationship between Envestis SA and the listed suppliers. We do not verify the claims, certifications, or financial standing of listed suppliers.

3. getPAID Service

3.1 Service Description

getPAID is a payment facilitation service that enables piping suppliers ("Sellers") to receive secure payments from international buyers ("Buyers") for the sale of physical goods (piping materials, valves, fittings, flanges, and related industrial products).

3.2 What getPAID IS

getPAID is a digital platform that facilitates the creation of commercial contracts between Sellers and Buyers, provides Buyers with bank transfer instructions for payment, monitors the receipt of funds, enables document exchange between parties, and coordinates the release of funds to the Seller upon confirmation of delivery by the Buyer.

3.3 What getPAID IS NOT

getPAID is not a bank, a licensed financial institution, an escrow provider, a trade finance company, an insurance provider, or a legal guarantor of any transaction. getPAID does not hold, manage, or control funds at any point. All payment processing, fund holding, and fund disbursement is performed by Stripe, Inc. ("Stripe"), a licensed payment service provider regulated in the jurisdictions where it operates.

3.4 Role of Stripe

Payment processing for getPAID is provided by Stripe. By using getPAID as a Seller, you agree to Stripe's Connected Account Agreement and Stripe's Terms of Service (available at stripe.com/legal). Stripe is solely responsible for the holding and disbursement of funds. Envestis SA has no access to, custody of, or control over Buyer or Seller funds at any time.

3.5 Seller Obligations

As a Seller using getPAID, you agree to:

Provide accurate and complete business information during registration
Complete Stripe's identity verification (KYC) process
Accurately describe the goods being sold in each contract
Ship goods as described in the approved contract
Upload genuine shipping and commercial documents
Respond to Buyer inquiries and disputes in a timely manner
Comply with all applicable export laws and trade regulations

3.6 Buyer Obligations

As a Buyer using getPAID, you agree to:

Review contract terms carefully before approval
Transfer the exact payment amount to the designated IBAN within the agreed timeframe
Confirm receipt of goods in a timely manner after delivery
Raise any disputes in good faith and with supporting evidence
Comply with all applicable import laws and trade regulations

3.7 Contract Terms

Each transaction on getPAID is governed by a contract created by the Seller and approved by the Buyer. The contract specifies the goods, price, currency, delivery terms, required documents, and delivery timeline. Both parties are bound by the terms of the contract they have agreed to on the platform. Envestis SA is not a party to the contract between Seller and Buyer.

3.8 Fees

getPAID charges a service fee on each completed transaction, deducted from the Seller's payout. The current fee is displayed at the time of contract creation and is fixed for the duration of that contract. Additional payment processing fees may be charged by Stripe. Envestis SA reserves the right to change fees for future transactions with 30 days' notice to registered users.

3.9 Fund Release

Funds are released to the Seller when the Buyer confirms receipt of goods on the platform, or automatically after the expiration of the delivery confirmation period specified in the contract (default: 14 days from shipment confirmation), whichever occurs first. Envestis SA instructs Stripe to release funds but does not guarantee the timing of bank transfers, which depend on Stripe and the receiving bank.

3.10 Disputes

If a Buyer opens a dispute, the funds remain held until the dispute is resolved. Envestis SA will review the contract terms, shipping documents, and evidence provided by both parties, and make a determination on how the funds should be distributed. This determination is final within the getPAID platform. Either party retains the right to pursue legal remedies outside the platform.

3.11 Dispute Resolution by Envestis SA

Envestis SA acts as a commercial mediator, not a legal arbitrator. Our dispute decisions are based on the contract terms agreed by both parties and the documentary evidence provided. We apply our professional judgment based on industry knowledge of piping trade practices. Our decisions are made in good faith but are not legally binding arbitration awards.

3.12 Maximum Hold Period

In accordance with Stripe's policies, funds may be held for a maximum of 90 days from the date of receipt. If a transaction (including any dispute resolution) is not completed within this period, funds will be released according to Stripe's policies, which may include automatic release to the Seller or return to the Buyer.

3.13 Refunds

If the Buyer is entitled to a refund (full or partial) as a result of a dispute resolution, Envestis SA will instruct Stripe to process the refund. Refund timing depends on Stripe and the banking networks involved.

3.14 Prohibited Uses

getPAID may not be used for transactions involving sanctioned countries or entities, illegal goods or services, goods that violate export control regulations, money laundering or terrorist financing, any purpose other than the sale and purchase of legitimate industrial goods.

3.15 Limitation of Liability

Envestis SA's total liability for any claim arising from the use of getPAID is limited to the service fees collected by Envestis SA on the specific transaction in question. Envestis SA is not liable for losses arising from Stripe service interruptions or failures, bank transfer delays or errors, goods that are defective, non-conforming, or not delivered, Buyer insolvency or inability to pay, fraud by either party, currency fluctuations, or force majeure events. Envestis SA does not guarantee that transactions will be completed successfully or that funds will be recovered in case of fraud.

4. pipingSHOP Service

4.1 Service Description

pipingSHOP is a white-label B2B e-commerce solution for piping stockists and manufacturers. It enables Sellers to display their product catalog online and receive orders from Buyers.

4.2 Software License

pipingSHOP is licensed software, not sold. The specific license terms, including duration, scope, pricing, and support, are defined in a separate Software License Agreement between Envestis SA and each pipingSHOP customer. These Terms apply in addition to the Software License Agreement. In case of conflict, the Software License Agreement prevails.

4.3 Data Ownership

All product data, inventory data, customer data, and transaction data entered into pipingSHOP by the customer remains the property of the customer. Envestis SA does not use customer data for any purpose other than providing the pipingSHOP service unless explicitly agreed otherwise.

4.4 Availability

While we strive for maximum uptime, we do not guarantee uninterrupted availability of the pipingSHOP service. Planned maintenance windows will be communicated in advance. Envestis SA is not liable for losses caused by service interruptions.

5. User Accounts

5.1 Registration

Certain services require account registration. You agree to provide accurate information and keep it up to date. You are responsible for all activity under your account.

5.2 Security

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials. Notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access to your account.

5.3 Termination

We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, are involved in fraudulent activity, or remain inactive for more than 12 months. You may close your account at any time by contacting us, subject to the completion of any pending transactions.

6. Privacy Policy

6.1 Data Controller

Envestis SA, Via S. Balestra 10, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland is the data controller for personal data collected through our websites and services.

6.2 Data We Collect

Website visitors (all sites):

IP address and browser information (via server logs)
Pages visited, time spent, referral source (via analytics)
Cookie preferences

Registered users (app.projectmaterials.com):

Name, email address, phone number
Company name, address, country
Role (Seller/Buyer)

getPAID users (additional):

Business registration details (as required by Stripe KYC)
Transaction history (amounts, dates, contract details)
Uploaded documents (invoices, bills of lading, MTRs)
Communication history (messages within the platform)

pipingSHOP customers (additional):

Product catalog and inventory data
Customer and order data

6.3 How We Use Your Data

We use personal data to provide and improve our services, process transactions and payments (via Stripe), communicate with you about your account and transactions, resolve disputes, comply with legal obligations, and send service-related notifications. We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes.

6.4 Third-Party Processors

We share data with the following third-party processors, solely for the purpose of providing our services:

Provider	Purpose	Data Shared
Stripe, Inc.	Payment processing	Business details, transaction amounts, bank information
Hetzner Online GmbH	Server hosting	All data stored on our servers
Cloudflare, Inc.	CDN and security	IP addresses, traffic data
Vercel, Inc.	Website hosting	Website visitor data
Cal.com	Meeting scheduling	Name, email

6.5 Data Retention

Account data: retained for the duration of your account plus 10 years (Swiss commercial law requirement)
Transaction data: retained for 10 years from transaction completion (Swiss tax law)
Website analytics: aggregated data retained indefinitely; individual visitor data retained for 26 months
Uploaded documents: retained for the duration of the transaction plus 10 years

6.6 Your Rights

Under the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (nDSG) and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have the right to access your personal data, correct inaccurate data, request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention requirements), restrict processing, data portability, and object to processing. To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@projectmaterials.com.

6.7 Data Transfers

Your data is stored on servers located in the European Economic Area (Germany). Where data is transferred to processors outside the EEA (e.g., Stripe in the US), appropriate safeguards are in place, including Standard Contractual Clauses.

6.8 Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including encryption in transit (TLS/HTTPS), encryption at rest for sensitive data, access controls and authentication, regular security updates, and automated backups.

7. Cookies Policy

7.1 What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our websites. They help us provide a better user experience and understand how our websites are used.

7.2 Cookies We Use

Strictly Necessary Cookies:

Session cookies for logged-in users
Cookie consent preferences
Security tokens (CSRF protection)

These cannot be disabled as they are essential for the website to function.

Analytics Cookies:

Google Analytics (or equivalent) — anonymized usage data
Page views, session duration, referral sources

These are only set with your consent.

Functional Cookies:

Language preferences
Display preferences

These are only set with your consent.

7.3 Third-Party Cookies

Our websites may include embedded content from third parties (e.g., YouTube videos, Calendly scheduling). These third parties may set their own cookies. We do not control these cookies.

7.4 Managing Cookies

You can manage your cookie preferences through the cookie banner displayed on first visit, or at any time via the "Cookie Settings" link in the website footer. You can also control cookies through your browser settings.

8. General Legal Provisions

8.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of Switzerland.

8.2 Jurisdiction

Any disputes arising from these Terms or the use of our services shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Lugano, Canton of Ticino, Switzerland.

8.3 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

8.4 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with any applicable Software License Agreements and Stripe's terms, constitute the entire agreement between you and Envestis SA regarding the use of our services.

8.5 No Waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision of these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that provision.

8.6 Force Majeure

Envestis SA is not liable for any failure to perform its obligations due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, war, government actions, pandemics, internet outages, or failures of third-party services.

8.7 Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact us at:

Envestis SA
Via S. Balestra 10
6900 Lugano, Switzerland
Email: legal@projectmaterials.com
Website: projectmaterials.com