packer

material handler

forklift operator

production worker

extrusion operator

VEKA

A typical day at Veka West is not possible.  Management has been and continues to be a driving force in Veka West's terrible turnover rate.  The words professionalism, safety, and training do not seem to mean anything to them.  Each department fights with one another and then the higher ups walk around talking behind each managers back about how THAT or THAT department is the problem.  Most managers do not address any issues in person or by email - They prefer text messaging, so getting daily tasks ironed out becomes delayed and frustrating for the employees below.  The general attitude by Veka West management is that you should be grateful to have a job but unfortunately, I don't believe that they have kept up with the times being that Reno has an exploding job market.  As their turnover rate continue to rise at Veka West you would think there would be some red flags going up .. but .. unfortunately there are not.  Focus Groups held by HQ in Fombell PA were brought into Reno to dissolve issues, but a year later, next to none have been resolved.  They advertise good benefits - I would say they're average compared to what’s being offered around town. They also advertise career advancement and training.  This is a complete farce.  There is not even a person there to do the training. When offered training I was told I’d be sent to Terrell Tx.  My training was scheduled rescheduled and canceled many times while at Veka West all from lack of organization on managements part. (Ex. Manger scheduling 60% of the department off the same week of training and forgetting and then needing to cancel the training last minute to name one). They will promote their friends, create positions for friends, and then eliminate those positions when their friends leave. Its these frequent occurrences and lack of general morals that lead me to lose all confidence in the management here at Veka West.  I can’t speak for the entire company because the few men from other locations (Fombell PA - Terrel Tx) that I have worked with when they were sent to Veka West seemed to be great guys.  I would say if you're interested in manufacturing it is an okay place to start, if you have a felony record, or extremely poor work history, its a ok place to work as well. But overall it should never be viewed as anything more than a stepping stone for your career. The wages are low because they are based off Fombell PA cost of living and Reno being significantly more expensive makes it hard.  This is HRs ‘scapegoat’ you could say – it is always being “worked on” and “any time soon” it’ll happen…but still waiting.  Most of the positions there you would be better paid at a fast food chain or department store.  You are required to wear protective shoes and they will give you $60 towards the purchase of your shoes and be sure to get them.  Safety at Veka West is a major ongoing issue.  They have forms where employees can write where the safety hazards are so they can be addressed and corrected.  Then those issues become a daily safety topic for discussion.  These daily safety topics, which are reviewed and signed by every employee constantly are the same types of incidents like running fork trucks into company property, found beer cans, found vodka bottle, sticking fingers in pinch points, unchecked fork trucks, unchecked cranes, no safety guards on machines …to name a few.  All places of employment will have some issues, it’s unreasonable to expect otherwise, but Veka West is one I would highly recommend avoiding.  With the current employment market in Reno, NV - there are numerous better options.  I was employed for a little under two years – my company reviews were “exceeds expectations” by my supervisor and recently given a 2$ raise. I was employee of the month 7/2018, and one insubordination write up leads to a suspension followed by when I returned from suspension as they asked, 7 days later... to be fired.  Meanwhile other employees with multiple write ups including one for threatening a coworker and multiple insubordinations is still employed.  If you have options, save yourself the time, and pass on this sinking ship.

I joined Veka directly from retiring from the military. I have now worked at Veka for 17 years. I have been fortunate to have worked in positions in our HR department, our Out Doors Living Products division, our commercial window division, Quality control and now production. I have also had the opertunity to work with some great folks in our financial department, marketing department, within our sales teams and with great customers and vendors. I have also been able to visit and work in some of our many plants from Texas to Germany. Like most companies with a manufacturing and labor focus you have to actually work and work hard to move ahead. If you are looking for a job that pays a decent wage for minimal effort Veka is not for you. If you want a job that pays a decent wage for a decent days work, a work schedule that allows some employee's half the days off in a month, oportumity for over time, vacation, sick time, personal day, a free health care option, vision, dental, life insurance, profit sharing and a 401K plan within a safe stable work environment.... you may want to give VEKA a shot. Veka has extensive safety and job specific training programs and dedicated employees who are more than happy to give new employees help and advice when needed. Like all company's you can find former employees that were not happy and who have had a short employment history with that company. And in our case former employees who were probably just not cut out for work in manufacturing/extrusion. However Veka has an impressive number of employees from maintenance, extrusion , post extrusion to our office personnel whom have been with Veka for 10, 20 and 30 years. This is a hard working, stable and profitable company for over 30 years with the opportunity for groth and improvement from within. And if you are willing to put in the time and effort can also be a long term member of the Veka team.

A typical day at work:
This lab position was my first full-time job. My typical day consisted mainly of testing PVC compound to monitor and report color and composition/quality changes, record changes in product weathering observations, and maintain the lab/equipment. 

What I learned:
I learned how to work independently and with a team. My coworkers and supervisors taught me just how important good communication is.

Management:
My supervisor(s) were probably the most reasonable/nicest people I'll ever deal with in the work world. My boss was very understanding/accommodating for days off and was very nice when mistakes were made. Upper management would also check in every now and then just to see how things are. All management positions I interacted with were very friendly and made me feel important while also keeping agendas on track.

Workplace culture:
Whether I was dealing with management, lab coworkers, compound tower personnel, extrusion operators, QA lab, etc. everyone was friendly while also conveying an image of professionalism. Communication was never lackluster and everyone always seemed to do everything on time without fault.

The hardest part of the job:
I don't have a single complaint about anyone or any aspects of how the company runs its business. The only aspects that were really difficult for me was the evening shift and 6 day work week.

The most enjoyable part of the job:
My coworkers. While I did enjoy my duties to an extent, my coworkers and supervisors were what made each day enjoyable.

Being a female working in an environment of mostly guys, I felt included in projects and meetings for those projects. I observed many women taking opportunities that men would fulfill and receive respect in those roles. I may not be working there now because of some personal circumstances, but I had considered going back. I was lucky to work both in the floor and in the office splitting the time and working closely with everyone in the plant. I felt I had a good relationship with all I worked with either directly or indirectly.
Pluses to working here: good benefits, profit sharing, raises every year, opportunity to advance depending upon interest. All training is offered through the company and safety is their priority. Allowances for safety shoes- the truck comes twice a year and have very cute shoes for women. The entry job is easy enough but is very physical. Twelve hour swing shifts take awhile to get use to but with every other weekend off, you get days during the week off, which is nice. My husband's been there 12 years,  almost and it's just second nature to us to schedule a date night on a Wednesday or Thursday when he's off. 

Not a place to make a career. Management and supervisors will harass you with name calling and yelling profanity which is illegal but HR chooses not to help the situation.  Operator jobs are very stressful by trying to complete your task with old outdated tools. There isint enough support equipment so it’s first come, first server or your burnt and now face the wrath of a hostile supervisor, and then told to figure it out.... benefits are good enough to suck new employees in but to then lose them shortly after. Quality dept. is a sweet gig but again manager is lame also and is too concerened with NOT his job. Packers seem to be over worked. It is a long shot of what this place used to be. Pay is low for the Reno area. Promises of more money if you complete an impossible task of signing off broken tools in 2 hours time. You “pass” if your in the friend circle.....😡

The company will switch your shifts to accommodate their needs, the good ol boys club is real and if you snitch enough you will be able to have “advancement” in the work place. Poor management absolutely no control, operators claim they’re doing their job but end up having multiple work orders for tool and die repair on one shift due to their lack of attention of the tools that are running. Management has no backbone to correct their operators or employees mistakes but instead let’s them keep getting away with the same “mishaps” spreading false light that they will correct the issues at hand. I’ve been working here for two years and never once had the opportunity to be able to advance when applying for other jobs within the plant my advancements were rejected because I’m the best at what I do in my area. Would not recommend my worst enemy to work here.

Most workers are friendly and will work with you without issue. Others not so much, they don't care about you or including you. They will single out people and fire them immediately.  (Target) They don't pay very close attention to who is doing the most out of the team and will fire you if you seem to be doing nothing after finishing your tasks while ignoring those who aren't doing anything but standing around. Not very in depth with how they train or teach you important steps. Depending on the person. Don't try too hard, you'll burn yourself out and get fired for small or no reasons. 

The work was fine enough for what I did. There were opportunities for advancement and the work was varied enough that days didn’t generally get stale. The company, or at least department heads, expect 55 hours a week out of you regardless of your output or how busy the department is or isn’t. In the same sentence I was told that my output was more than my contemporaries but that I didn’t work enough overtime. Some supervisors were immature and sowed discord among employees or didn’t handle situations in a professional manner. Some employees were great people outside of work but intolerable to work with. It’s not a terrible place to work but be prepared to be asked to sacrifice most of your home life and personalities are hit and miss. 

I’ve had the privilege of working with my current employer for five years, and I can confidently say it’s been a truly rewarding experience. Their dedication to my career growth and continuing education has been exceptional. Throughout my time here, they’ve consistently provided opportunities to expand my skills and knowledge.


One of the highlights of my career was being sent to our parent company in Germany to participate in a global international efficiency program. This unique opportunity focused on how to implement AI in the workplace without compromising jobs. It’s a testament to the company's forward-thinking approach and commitment to innovation while ensuring job security for its employees.


I’m grateful to be part of a company that values both personal and professional development, and I look forward to many more years of growth here.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Packer 1 salary reported	$21.00 per hour
Material handler 4 salaries reported	$20.75 per hour
Forklift operator 1 salary reported	$47,500 per year
Production worker 12 salaries reported	$17.46 per hour
Extrusion operator 1 salary reported	$19.50 per hour

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