Quaker Chemical Reviews

Former Employee – worked at Quaker Chemical

Pros – Good leadership and development programs.

Cons – Average compensation, some lag time between communication and feedback.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Quaker Chemical

Pros – Leader in their field, excellent employees with a strong work ethic. People that work for Quaker outside of management have a very strong need to see the company succeed. A Company that will rebound once it cleans out current management and it gets through the current economic pressures.

Cons – Very thin organization, poor management and lack of understanding their industry. Not very versitile and relies on two basic industries (Auto, Steel) which are both suffering greatly. Technology is not a key element for either business since there are no real breakthroughs. This opens the door for competitive threat given the fact there is nothing special or unique.

Advice to Senior Management – Learn to listen to your employees, learn your industry. Your senior management is too young and inexperienced for the tough times you are facing

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Quaker Chemical full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – International travel, good benefits package.

Cons – Constant layoffs and cost cutting while VPs and higher receive huge bonuses, stock options and other perks. No real management. VPs and higher spend more time positioning within the company and trying to stab each other in the back as opposed to directing their divisions. Horrible HR department.

Advice to Senior Management – The people who earn your company's income lose their motivation very quickly when they see that there is a glass ceiling and that you are squeezing them for every ounce of servitude that you can get from them.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Quaker Chemical

Pros – Quaker has a strong position in its markets, and if you are favored by management opportunities are good.
As a global company there are opportunities to travel internationally and even take overseas assignments, although that is decreasing.

Cons – There is an "old boys" attitude with the "young boys" at the top Unfortunately, the human resources department does not have the courage to address this problem in any signicant way. Other than overseas managers there is no diversity in top management by gender, age and ethnicity. If you are not among the inside group of Quaker management you will work very hard, be paid fairly, but not see opportunities commensurate with your abilities.

Advice to Senior Management – Get someone from outside the organization to do a true evaluation of the company culture, attitude and treatment of employees equitably. Have an outside member of the board lead the effort.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Quaker Chemical

Pros – Shrinking market place and the company seems to be in the right place at the right time lately.Not perfect, but it is a company that is geared for people that can do on their own and don't need hand holding.

Cons – They are overly cautious and move slow.

Advice to Senior Management – Keep in touch with the sales force.Seem to be out of touch for long periods of time.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Quaker Chemical

Pros – Exposure to and responsability for a wide variety of processes at customer facilities can be very interesting and challenging. Most times transfers are available from one customer site to another.

Cons – Management does not support its employees with customer conflicts or disagreements. Management often times is more interested in getting customers to sign contracts than actually fulfilling the terms of those contracts. Managers are mostly marketers of chemicals not actually service oriented (odd for a service industry). Career support is nonexistant.

Advice to Senior Management – Live up to your word and support your employees.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Quaker Chemical

Pros – Good benefit packages for medical, education, and so on.
Ability to have flex hours makes it nice.

Cons – Management by the Good Old Boys Club.
Needs to overhaul some of the divisions to get some fresh ideas.
Do not utilize their employees to the fullest.

Advice to Senior Management – Really look at your review processes. How well do you really know your talent?