Why is nobody commenting about the fact they just lost Pfizer? VWR is a dying company. If TMO as a whole did not rely on them so heavily for sales, they would have been done and dusted long ago. Look at their senior sales team...a bunch of used car sales men types.

I guess it's a sign that VWR moving up the ladder by seeing these rumor comments..:-)

vwr also recently laid off all financial analysts and project managers. not sure who is actually doing the work there these days.

True that!

Vwr. . . Would rather buy off eBay. At least it would turn up !

Finally a VP leaving VWR... MW was kicked to the curb for his huge mess in clean room apparel. Amazingly, he convinced some small Ohio company to hire him as CEO instead. Poor guys. They have no idea what they are in for...

I have heard the same, Novartis deal is not going that well and Sourcing made a unilateral decision. What is more perplexing is that at DCAT, Avantor was touting their "partnership" with VWR and what is even scarier is that companies that ditched VWR are wooed by the PR. If you ask me, there is a ton of risk in the supply chain at some of the largest pharmas, ESPECIALLY those with operations in Puerto Rico. They have been sole sourced for years and have to take year after year price increases, that ultimately get passed onto patients.

Coincedently this was their last order!

I have boycotted VWR. They are overpriced. I have not purchased a product from VWR is over 10 years.

As long as you've got MM in VP position spearheading Rah rah rah team, YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.. crap at meetings.. Upper mgmt will stay blind and low level reps believe the crap they're dealt with promises of bonus.
Funny enough with 2009 layoff, all the good reps "fat cats" are gone, and all that's left are a bunch of idiots barely out of university running around accounts pretending they know what the heck they're talking about!

Is DK still out west terrorizing her reps? They're should be a rule about being such a B!tch ... Psychopath!

Why did we all stop talking about VWR and the shady practices? Does everyone love them again? What's the deal with BioBasic and VWR partnership in Canada? Lasted a couple of months, why on earth were they even partnering up in the first place? VWR has prices all across the board in different regions. I'm surprised their customers having been more astute about it. They just swoop in and drop prices wherever there's competition, they have such poor service.

Your right..Ever since the CD&R purchase VWR has been run into the ground. Employee layoffs,very little investment and outsourcing all in the name of profit. VWR/MDP will blame unions and "poor employee performance" before they admit to high end glossy presentations and overpaid execs with perks that your average VWR employee will NEVER see.Poorly managed with more closures and layoffs to come. Morale is awful.

That is no surprise. It was just a matter of time before people found out that VWR would rather "push numbers" than build a solid customer base. It's all about feeding Madison Dearborn shareholders and their 85% ownership of VWR.

VWR works with nameless faceless Asian factories that knock off branded manufacturers and small manufacturers because of cost. The big guys won't bend as much on cost, so VWR either dumps them or gets dumped by them.

Bonuses? HAHAHA!! Now I am positive you don't know what you are talking about.

Earlier Post: Companies jump ship when there is no value in the relationship. We have all watched VWR take on tiny companies with technologies that are not proven, promote employees that didn't do their job in the first place, and demote people who were competent. Nothing VWR has been doing makes any sense in the life science world, and it seems that their revenue backs that up. Sinking ship, this one!

AGREED!!! They take on many small suppliers but leave the large proven suppliers by the way-side when they could be making money via the promotion of the large suppliers with a track record. Customers want to see the large, proven, "flagship" manufacturers, not the "flavor of the month" that pays VWR the most margin!

Companies jump ship when there is no value in the relationship. We have all watched VWR take on tiny companies with technologies that are not proven, promote employees that didn't do their job in the first place, and demote people who were competent. Nothing VWR has been doing makes any sense in the life science world, and it seems that their revenue backs that up. Sinking ship, this one!

yes you may have won Novartis but how about all the accounts you have lost? VWR does a good job for me but I am a little tempted to look at the other side of the fence with all of the companies jumping ship. Can anyone speak to this?

This company makes most their money off Madison Dearborns investors. Their managers don't care because they don't have to improve at a subsidiary of a PE firm. Most of them are not that educated and will sit back and continue to collect their high paying salaries. Its unfortunate for the lower level employees who suffer from outdated business practices but thats how it works. A public organization like Fisher Scientific makes the managers perform well or the owners/stockholders will eventually get rid of them.

true that!

I Think that this company management are not supporting

There is a general lack of leadership there and the VP level folks really stink.

Great, submitted my CV to them before looking at this site.....

Look at what they are trying to do with the clinical division? There hiring people from Siemens who couldn't cut it there and have no clue about distribution. This is at least their 4th attempt to compete with Fisher and Cardinal and it will be another wasted effort again. Such a waste of a good company.

Ha,ha,ha,

Good luck with that...

Can't be all that bad...we just won Novartis, GLOBALLY, from Fisher.

Very interesting press release.
http://www.alphaprotech.com/userfiles/doccenter/news/2010/Distribution%2...

VWR announcing financials tomorrow. Most likely will last 5 mintutes. Call in, CEO announcement..."Let's begin. Shitty." Dial tone.

credibility also lost with their customers...when reps who do nothing are promoted while good ones laid off...customers will take their business elsewhere as this is the height of dysfunction and does not serve the customer

I've seen some cock ups at VWR before but I've never known for them to be able to shut down a whole site this quickly!

VWR is the kiss of death. Their largest win in years, Astra Zeneca, just announced that they will be closing their largest research site in the UK.

Oh well, I guess something is better than nothing.

I totally agree! VWR is the least honest and most dysfunctional company I have ever worked for. And you are right -- it starts with the CEO, who is invisible all year long, except for 20 minutes once a year at the annual sales meeting to impart his 'message' to the masses. Most of the VP's, while making huge salaries and bonuses, couldn't even succeed at an entry level job elsewhere. They have no real skills. Communications are nonexistent. And those who get let go - me included - get let go because we actually tried to impprove things and get things done instead of keeping our mouths shut.

VWR communication is non exsitant. Starting at the top. Their CEO down to the list of directors have side stepped and flat out ignored any hint of problems at VWR.
The RDC's aren't even on the same page. The misinformation and the lies are covered by firing employees who were guilty of "ethics violations" and some how VWR moves on as if nothing ever happend. Did they not loose GSK and Amgen? Is that not enough of a wake up call? Where is that so called open communication? They lost credibility with their employees.

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy!

MW's empire has crumbled! He got too big for his britches and couldn't produce. Not surprising since his communication skills are horrible and the bigger the team, the more that showed. Now, a new category VP has been named and will take over most of consumables. Finally! On linked in, MW claims to have a team of over 55 people. Now it is more like 3.

WOOHOO! I wonder how much consumables prices hurt them? So much for MW's leadership!

Yes...it is official. AMGN made the change.

Any news on an official announcement?

Hints:

1. The west coast, us based company is very large.
2. It has NO connections with Switzerland.
3. Its arch nemesis is DNA.

If you can't guess who it is, you are as sharp as a VWR VP.

Rumors at VWR of changes on the way! I hope they get rid of the incompetent VP's, especially MW.

VWR
bites the wad
someone put them out of their misery
dear God
Burma Shave

Dr Doom

Who is it? Losing a customer couldn't happen to a nicer company! Woohoo!

Just in...very large biotech in western US made decision to switch. Whilst this is great news for FSH, VWR continues in a downward spiral.

Agreed, Madison Dearborn is either tone deaf or as long as they get their share of the revenue it does not concern them. Instead of developing new relationships.VWR opted to raise prices, pass freight costs and layoff personel to increase profits. The wage freeze implemeted by VWR along with the "VWR foundation" left a bad taste for many employees. Many saw the "foundation" as merely a PR move. Employees have not seen a raise in 2 years so opting to sponsor an athlete or create a chairtable foundation highlights managements attitude. They don't get it.

when will it be official? can't wait to find out!

Who's going to F troop

This are going to get worse...big customer moving to TF before years end.

You are right about upper management focused on a personal cash payoff. They got a huge payoff when Madison Dearborn bought the company from CDR, and they all assume it will happen again. I hope they get nothing, as they have done nothing to add value to the business. True that they are extremely arrogant. I have never seen anything like it!

Having worked for VWR , and with many of the TF businesses I would say that TF is in a very good position right now. The are focused on the customer, it is shows in the wins they are getting from VWR. Every organization has their issues, but the real issue is that the Senior Management at VWR is arrogant, full of individual ego's and their only concern at this point is how big will their payoff be when Madison Dearborn sells the company.