Ashland

Worked in Headquarters of company, started out assisting a few officials, as time went on more and more people were retiring, giving me more people to support, and less instructions on how to handle each dept.
Juggling between various Heads of Dept, with their staff was definitely a challenge. 
Learned to delegate with others to receive information.
Management was accommodating until the work load became over bearing, no resources.
Hardest part of job, not knowing where to find information, as ones were retiring no one had any instructions. because the company dissolved departments,  unbalanced workload. 
Worked with worldwide locations, between several different states and countries, responsible for Annual and Quarterly Stock Holders meetings. All news report were carefully and meticulously written for the public eye,requiring late work nights, to get job done correctly.
Enjoyable part of job were the award meetings, the charitable events, and the once a month coffee breakfasts, all of which I was in charge of from beginning to end.

Ashland used to be a great place to work. When it was still thriving, they had department awards to celebrate people's efforts in exemplary work and attendance. They had company outings for team building and cutting loose. As time went on (in the last 12 - 15 years or so), the various CEOs began selling pieces of the company off. As this progressed, there were many, many layoffs and changes to the morale and culture. The last piece they sold off is now larger than what is left. There is much disorganization and tumult within Ashland now with people being let-go every other week. COVID has very little to do with this. I can no longer recommend working for this company. 

     I have worked at this site for over 15 years. In that time, I have found job satisfaction and career growth. Ashland makes it very easy to balance work and home life. The benefit package for vacation and sick leave is very generous. 
     Throughout my time here, I have experienced both personal tragedy and potentially life changing medical issues. Each time management was both supportive and understanding. Wherever adjustments in work conditions and schedule had to be made, I was granted it without issue. 
      In my 40+ years of working, I can honestly say that working for Ashland has been both gratifying and financially rewarding. The 401K plan with matching contributions is a huge benefit. There are also annual pay increases and bonuses along with a recognition program. 
     You will work hard and the rotating schedule can be a big adjustment but overall this is a great company to work for. 

This place favors the good ole boys club. If you aren't a part of it good luck advancing.  They will put someone over you with less experience because they were looking out for the future. Well look now people as they are about to close and get sold lol. This place has hurt more people and the environment than whirlpool ever did. Erin Brockavich needs to come and  see the facility and  the contaminated ground it sits on. There is hazardous waste buried under the entire area. They know and  just submit bogus environmental samples. The health and safety  guy in charge died of cancer. As we all will suffer long term effects from exposure. My life has permanently been altered because of working here and breathing this stuff daily. They implemented a safety program  after people kept getting hurt to make  themselves look good while  encouraging employees to come up with things for small gifts to tell on each other.

A typical day at work is repetitive, which is  running test. I learned how to run each of these tests, but you have to fight to learn more and there isn’t room for growth. Unless you wait over 10+ years. They teach you when the NEED you to learn (e.g. if the lead QA Tech is out). The QA manager is the worst manager ever! RUN! He micromanages, he creates a negative environment, he doesn’t trust his employees, never a compliment, only issues, he doesn’t know how to do his job (still in training himself), he not picks with his staff, sends emails all day, and completely lost his department. It had even trickled over to other areas that have a negative view of him.  

The hardest part of the job was working for the new QA Manager. The most enjoyable part of the job was the most of the people you closely work with and the production team. 

The Ashland staff at Lima is a very "flat" organization of fewer than 45 employees. Operations specialists, engineers, and other professionals are engaged daily in furthering the production of useful chemicals in a safe, reliable, and sustainable fashion.

Our plant manager has an open door and every individual is welcome to present their ideas to improve safety, reliability, or productivity. It is a serious business but daily interactions are upbeat and friendly, and most everyone has a great sense of humor.

Ashland as a company is not without bureaucracy, but we get good support from our management. Opportunities for advancement internally are very limited, but Ashland is a big company and all employees are able to post for job openings anywhere in the world.

Work hours are predictable with your schedule being set well in advance. Schedule has a built-in OT and additional OT is available especially with product needs going up.  The shift schedule has a 7-day off stretch every month so planning time away or vacations is really convenient.   Company matches your 401K 8%, which is higher than I have seen from other companies.  Work is manufacturing type work, but not repetitive.  Seems to be something different day to day.  People and management have changed over years which have improved the culture.  Health care plan is high deductible type plan, which you have to plan for, but you are given an HSA you can put money into with company match dollars there as well.  Work setting is a typical manufacturing plant.  Commute is easy and no traffic.  Pay is competitive, and you get raises every year.  You also get raises the more you learn.  Uniforms are given to you but can sometimes get hot in the summer. 

I worked at the Wilmington site for 7 years.  The site is a nice place to work with a college campus type setting. However, many employees were asked to work from home when COVID hit.  I met a lot of friendly and helpful people at Ashland that genuinely seemed to enjoy their jobs.  However, during the time I worked for Ashland, the company was under almost constant reorganization.  This was very disorienting and resulted in numerous rounds of layoffs.  Due to this atmosphere, there wasn't a lot of trust in upper management.  The company shrunk in terms of number of employees and sales in the time that I was there with a constant drive to divest of lower margin businesses, cut costs, and show positive quarterly earnings.

First off all of the previous reviews are done by people who have been with the company for several years. If you are looking for a job, Ashland is the place if you are NOT expecting career advancement. YES, you heard me. There is not such thing as career advancement opportinities unless you are friends with the hiring manager. It does not matter if you have better qualifications, if you do not have friends with someone important, forget about advancing here. Opportunities are given based on friendship and not on really qualifications. YES, they treat you well if you stay at the bottom of the food chain. Teams are usually formed by 1 manager, 1 supervisor, and 5 – 10 account specialists. Out of those 5 – 10 individuals, 10% actually do their job. Finally, if you have a family, and you are looking for a job with good benefits, do yourself a favor and look somewhere else. Family deductibles start at $ 2,500

Some of the reviews for Ashland are quite good, but it all depends on what site you are working at. A day at one manufacturing site or corporate location may be very different from another one. My experience was less that great and many people who were looking to advance their careers came, got experience, and headed elsewhere. The benefits aren't very good and work life balance all depends on who you work for and what your job entails. Some people work 40 hours even, while others may work 60 + hours and be on call. The stress level can be zip or to the point where you are ready to pull your hair out. Raises were quite scarce and culture is entirely based on where you are located. There are many great people who work for this company, but there are also individuals who bring the moral down to the gutters. I wouldn't say its bad, but by no means would I go back.

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