Axiall Reviews

Pros

It was very family oriented

Cons

Went through a hostile take over

Pros

In a career spanning more than a decade, Axiall is the place where I've been happiest. Yes, it's a newer company, so of course the culture is still a work in progress -- but executive leadership is really wonderful and the company is on the right track. I've worked at the Atlanta corporate headquarters for more than three years, and each year has only gotten better. There are so many opportunities for high performers to grow here (the key is, you must be a high performer.) Management is incredibly supportive of work/life balance, and salaries are good. Do people complain, as another reviewer noted? Of course they do! There are complainers in any company, and many people naturally wish they didn't have to work at all. That doesn't mean the company is a bad place to work. Also, "bonuses" are just that -- a bonus given when the company, business unit and individual perform above expectations. Bonuses are not something any of us are entitled to. The new (mid-year 2015) CEO is someone I have the utmost respect for and confidence in as a leader. I really can't say enough about how happy I am at Axiall, and I believe the future of the company and its dedicated, high-performing employees is bright.

Cons

IT/IS support and structure needs some work. Wish there was an HRA option in the benefits package for corporate employees.

Pros

Good base pay and bonus

Cons

My manager was only interested in her own promotion. Did not care very much for the people on her team.

Pros

For the most part, almost everyone is very friendly and willing to help with anything. This company has alot of potential for future growth and is involved with many community charities.

Cons

The salaries do not come close to matching the work load. Not only are the salaries well below industry average, but there is often alot of overtime involved for which you are not compensated. The life/work balace is heavily tilted toward the work side. The facilities and infastructure are in disrepair and very poor condition. A very low morale from the employees plays a large role with the condition of the facility, as they know they can easily make 25 - 40% more, across the road for another company.

Pros

They are trying! There are noticeable changes taking place. Although there is much further to go, I feel like Axiall upper management is doing some good creating a culture that is more respectful of hourly employees. The work pace is good. The front line supervisors are friendly. The union, although pretty much useless by most standards, keeps the company in check and structured. I feel protected against supervisors who would fire someone over personal feelings. The pay is improving and that is a big factor in deciding the future of my career there since employers have opted out of traditional pensions... The DOLLAR PER HOUR AMOUNT IS KEY.

Cons

Axiall seriously needs to shed the old PPG guard in middle and upper management. There are still many of these managers who resent hourly workers for something that happened ten years ago... The ppg strike of 06. There are some radical, extreme safety protocols coming that will make no amount of money worth it. I am really concerned about retention if they pursue these policies in the way we are told they will.

Pros

Great place for quick advancement. Need new Team Leaders, Engineers, Lead Operators, Operators and Craftsmen constantly as most of the older hands have quit or are in the process of leaving for better pay and working conditions. Took most perks away including retirement benefits. So no reason to be loyal anymore.

Cons

Merged PPG Chemicals with Georgia Gulf to form Axiall Corp,After a year they harmonized the 2 companies into one. PPG Employees on salary exempt lost 11/2x ot pay was cut to 1x ot pay on scheduled turn arounds only. This company works a lot of OT everyday to keep it running that the supervisor has to cover . Now expected to do it for free. Georgia Gulf just turns it over to construction and pays them twice as much to do the job. Retirement plan frozen as of 1-31-14. So we no longer have a retirement plan. Trying to cut extra pay to retirees for ins. GGC Employees gained on most benefits but PPG employees lost at every turn. Safety is said to be important here yet you seldom see them in the field. They are always in meeting or doing paperwork.

Pros

I enjoyed my time here.

Cons

Company merger/takeover left departments with instability.

Pros

Was good company to work at

Cons

No real cons to list

Pros

Friendly people, competitive base salaries, large group of young professionals, active in the community.

Cons

Top heavy organization with a largely inexperienced/unqualified group of managers, poor maintenance planning and even worse plant reliability, extremely low morale, and even lower retention of both salary & hourly employees. There is heavy focus on training engineers to be front-line supervisors. The majority of engineers hired are placed in "Operations Supervisor" roles where they will issue safe work permits, write maintenance notifications, and order office supplies and toilet paper. There is little development (and jobs) for engineers seeking a more technical track. The inexperienced management leads to improperly planned turnarounds, major loss of production, and multiple environmental impacts. This results in virtually no bonus pay outs. A major organizational restructure took place in early 2015 which resulted in tripling the number of management positions to be filled with people who were hand picked based on their ability to hold a conversation at cocktail parties - not by experience in applicable units or by proof of ability. Pay is competitive for engineers but that cannot be said for operations and maintenance. There is little to no direction for the company let alone the plant.

Pros

I work with some incredibly nice and smart people. Everyone was very welcoming when I started here. My managers invest in me and care about me. I think the executive leaders are also very invested in the well-being of the company at all levels. Axiall is a recent merger, and it's a great time to be a part of the company as it grows and changes. I also get the impression that most employees are well compensated.

Cons

It's a big company, so there's always the challenge of trying to stay connected with employees at other locations. Some of the executive leadership isn't as visible as others. More communication about important changes would be helpful, but I think there have been some good changes recently.