BASF Catalysts Reviews

Pros

-get real projects in summer intern
-friendly people, not long hours
-cooperative colleagues, helpful supporting staff
-nice working environment, big working space

Cons

-large organization, hard to make impact on the company
-pay is lower than other major chemical firms
-work location is away from city center

Advice to Senior Management

-make organization more flat
-increase pay, especially for management trainee
-assign management trainee real job, have some work for them before hire them

Pros

Flexible work schedule for workers;
Good management decision making;
Good communication from management;
fair market salary, bonus and other benefits;
Good professional development program.

Cons

rough Working environment,
heavy work load,

Advice to Senior Management

keep good communication going

Pros

Good Salary, Good working conditions, Good buro material (PC, Software, Mobile, Desk).

Cons

Too much burocracy (in increasing after BASF take over Engelhard), Some departments are outside the global management. Many managers are taking care of their own interest and looking for their future in the company rather than the future of the company

Advice to Senior Management

Take car of what happens some levels below.

Pros

Good benefits such as 401k, tuition reimbursement, medical, dental, and vision
Internationally known company
Reasonable hours
Minimal work effort depending on department

Cons

Downside is that most of the employees have been at the company for 15+ years minimum and do not recongnize that the corporate landscape has changed. Believing that what work 10, 15, 20 years ago still applies is like putting your head in the sand. Immediate supervisors are threatened by younger employees and micromange in order to drive the employee away from their positions. Mentality of "do as I say and not as I do" plays big role in assignment of tasks. Complaints to upper management fall on deaf ears as long as the complaint cannot lead to a lawsuit. Most likely reply will be "This is the way corporate America works" or "You're being too sensitive" Inconsistant directions are constantly given. If you are the low/new man on the totem pole, expect to do all of the work for everyone above you. Despite what your title may be when hire, more than likely you will be reduced to an adminstration assistant, answering emails, writing reports, documenting data and having your boss take all of the credit for discovering something that you told them about 5 months prior.

Advice to Senior Management

Management needs to spend time in the lab/projects in order to understand how their areas function. Numerous times has management appeared in my area and are not even aware of what our capabilities are. Managers should walk a mile in their employees shoes for the day.

Pros

Benefits package is reasonable and flex time is available in various area.

Cons

Limited advancement opportunities, management cannot make a decision without headquarters (Germany) direction, and many unhappy employees.

Advice to Senior Management

Treat all employees fairly.

Pros

BASF Catalysts is division of the largest chemical company in the world. BASF values innovation and science and its large size provides alot of opportunities.

Cons

The company is veray large and moves slowly. Although BASF Catalysts is located in the U.S., BASF is very much a German company and there appears to be a non-German glass ceiling in the company. Although English is the "company Language" it is not uncommon for management to break off into private German discussions in the middle of meetings which tends to excluded non German speakers.

Advice to Senior Management

Push more decisions and management out to other companies rather than following a German centralized model. The company is too big to be run centrally give the fast speed of today's technology and business.

Pros

1) Excellent benefits package
2) Convenient Location
3) Stable company with a diverse technology and product portfoilio
4) Extensive resources

Cons

1) Mind-set of a commodities business, not Products oriented
2) Zero understanding of acquired businesses, business models, technologies
3) Poorly managed
4) Horribly low salaries in commercial areas
5) Heavy workload on non-job-related actvity - 60% of time on "reporting", 40% spent on actual job
6) More interested in market research than development, production, sales, quality, customer needs
7) Extremely low morale, high attrition
8) Acquisition legacy employees treated horribly - zero opportunity for advancement
9) Service platforms are cumbersome and difficult to work with - and at enormous overhead cost

Advice to Senior Management

Please allow acquired companies that were heretofore successful to operate unencumbered under legacy organizational structures. Too many changes to organizations, reporting mechanisms, business unit structures (i.e. regional versus global), results in horribly low morale and employee dissatisfaction. Many workers here are intent on leaving ASAP, but are hindered by a bad economic environment.

Pros

Great Innovative company.
Semi Flexible

Cons

Managers and upper management live in a cloud. There is too much politics and not enough work related concern. That goes from top to bottom. Sad to say there are managers, especially foreign-born who possess PHDs but lack professionalism when it comes to basic communication, safety, feedback and team work.
The upper management either is blind or have turned their face. Sad to say all it takes is one 'stupid' mistake of harrasment by these foreigners and then BASF will be in the front page, not because of their hard work but because of these sheer coziness with unprofessionals!!
By the way there are managers who are literally working and making contribution and probably that's why the company is what it is. I have seen the company since past 10 years and am ashmed what has become lately by sheer mismangement and poltical attitude of them; running from VP to HR to Managers.

Advice to Senior Management

Senior Management talks about safety, team work and a good environment. Take a company wide an anonymous survey and see the results. Won't like it but atleast that will tell them where the garbage is.

Pros

My job is very challenging. I am very satisfied with my level of compensation. From what I've seen, it is a very responsible company with regards to environmental issues.

Cons

Very regimented in most regards resulting in some inefficiencies in getting things done.

Advice to Senior Management

The management team is doing a good job. They are under tremendous stress to make sure all policies and procedures are adhered to.

Pros

At times the overtime can be great if you like to work a lot. Also you have great co-workers here that make the job easy on you and fun at times. Its a very interesting job with a lot of room to learn more and try to earn more money. The general workers are represented by a union so it helps out a bit, although the union could use some work.

Cons

Just like a lot of places, you have up and down time, and when it gets slow there is always a possibility of lay offs. Also management at times likes to play around with company policies to screw you over.

Advice to Senior Management

You would think that most companies would think this way but you find out too often that it isn't true... if you keep your employees happy they will definitely keep you happy!