Solenis needs to grow...so entirely focused on sales growth
Pros
Good safety culture, opportunities to learn, company car. Company has a strong presence in tissue and towel business markets. Rewards for sales reps who make big numbers, assuming colleagues nearby you do okay, too. Lots of expertise and educational materials for self-starters new to industry. High deductible HSA plan and standard dental, vision, etc. good if you are a healthy family.
Cons
SALES SALES SALES. Solenis is recently purchased from Ashland Inc. by private equity Clayton, Dublier, & Rice. So far in the first year of new company, employee morale is terrible and management is only concerned with pleasing CD&R managers to keep their jobs. Have to grow EBITDA significantly. Company is building HR, IT, and other departments from scratch and filling positions with people who have no concept of needs of front-line professionals and technicians. Marginal raises and no title promotions throughout company in nearly a year. Unless you are in the tissue and towel market, your challenge is to grow sales in an industry that is dying. Essentially trying to prove you're not a commodities rep, while only differentiating with lower prices. More and more industry leaders are corporate conglomerates so local influence is minimal, even for talented reps. As part of having essentially no HR and in an effort to trim anything that does not directly grow sales, training curriculum is mild - at best. Experienced employees are strapped with growing business themselves and not given time to train others & multiply themselves. Unproductive "us vs. them" mentality between pulp & paper division and industrial water division. Employees need to recognize the demands/ customer expectations within each division are very different. It is very unclear how to get promoted and what they structure of the company is. Work/Life balance is tough if you want to actually grow sales and get a chance at a bonus.
