Run! (Just make sure you're holding the railing and have a lid on your cup) - Vice President Avantor Employee Review

1.0
Nov 15, 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

None. The only reason why I typed this much is because there is a 5 word minimum.

Cons

I worked at VWR / Avantor for over 8 years, the bulk of that time with VWR. Legacy VWR was all-in-all a nice place to work. While the culture was a little conservative, the people were nice to each other, management was generally very good, and you felt valued. Then came November 21, 2017, AKA doomsday, the day when Avantor completed its acquisition of VWR. In case you didn’t know, Avantor supplies the chemicals it manufacturers through VWR, a distributor. Prior to the acquisition, Avantor had as bad of a reputation as you could with VWR people – a horribly run company that’s only mechanism for survival was passing on ridiculously large price increases to its customers. As expected, it only took a few months for Avantor’s toxic culture to permeate its way through VWR. Despite legacy VWR leadership trying to teach Avantor about distribution, the self proclaimed analytical geniuses at Avantor decided they knew best, firing all of the talented people who dared to question their asinine ideas. The new Avantor leadership also put in unattainable cost savings goals with its suppliers, leaving everyone overworked and miserable. By the time I left, everyone was depressed (and I don’t throw around that word around lightly). Here’s the bottom line. The new Avantor regime only cares about making their numbers so they can sell the company to another investor, or take it public. They do not care one bit about the people. They will work you to the bone and then fire you if they think that is more valuable to making their number. The crazy part is that they do not hide this one bit. There is no future with this company if you are not an SVP. I would not recommend working for Avantor even if you have been unemployed for a year and have a negative balance in your checking account. It’s THAT bad.

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CEO approval
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Pros

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Cons

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3.0
Jun 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

starting pay and the ability to work independently.

Cons

There is a significant amount of workplace drama and unprofessional behavior within the team, which can make the environment feel more like a high school setting than a professional workplace. Management appears to have limited understanding of employees' day-to-day responsibilities and is often resistant to feedback or process improvement suggestions. Employees may feel discouraged from raising concerns or proposing changes. Advancement opportunities also seem limited, with promotions and career growth often perceived as being influenced by personal relationships rather than merit. Additionally, the annual performance review process can be frustrating, as employees may feel that the scoring system makes it difficult to achieve the highest ratings and corresponding compensation increases, regardless of performance. Finally, there are concerns about workload distribution, with some leadership positions appearing to have fewer responsibilities than other team members.

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