Boehringer Ingelheim Employee Reviews for Anonymous Employee

"A case of terminal herd stupidity. BIFI stupidity runs so deep and so broad that it covers every aspect of the operations in Fremont. it has metastasized itself into every corner of the building and every aspect of the manufacturing operation there. There is no extricating this stupidity from the BIFI it is just the way they are. At the core of this stupidity lies tech transfer and management. Tech transfer consists of several addle minded individuals who lack any problem-solving abilities or abstract reasoning skills. At times I wondered whether they knew if the column was packed with resin or stuff with feathers. They asininely layout downstream processes to maximize inefficiency. This commitment to inefficiency forces manufacturing operators to rush around and try to make up for their stupidity. They have demonstrated on several occasions the inability the problem solved their way out of a wet paper bag even if holes were poked into the bag to give them a head start. Tech transfer appears to hold a hypnotic hold over management. Management acquiesces to every one of their idiotic whims and refuses to hold them accountable for their inadequacy's. Tech transfer often releases recipes with known errors in them. Furthermore, they approve batch records with errors leaving it up to manufacturing to find them and address them after the campaign has started. Then they copy and paste, recipes filled with errors, into the next campaign without addressing them. These recipes filled with errors propagate themselves throughout the manufacturing process. This error filled recipes cause several hours of delay in the manufacturing process, management then expects the manufacturing operators to make up for these delays by rushing around without breaks or lunches. This creates a work environment that is very hectic and very stressful for the manufacturing operators. At times you feel like you're working in a Dickensian workhouse. BIFI will only be a group of silly people"

"Literally, every piece of equipment is always in a state of disrepair with ad hoc measures being implemented for stop-gap measures instead of proper repairs or corrective actions. The hoteling area is littered with broken equipment parts, unused equipment parts, and rotting food. Sometimes the food is left out for weeks on end. On a good day, it's disgusting to look at, on a bad day it's absolutely revolting. The hotelling area looks and smells like a homeless encampment. In the production area, the hallways are always littered with parts and equipment of unknown status. Programming for the equipment operations is not written or correctly tested and is riddled with errors, placing operations on hold for hours. Instructions are often disseminated to operators via non-GMP sources. Simple operations are often very complex /confusing and it's easier to solve a Rubik's Cube than to run a CIP/SIP, because of the use of unreferenced multiple source documents needed. Operators often are unsure where the written procedure ends and” tribal knowledge” begins even during critical operations. Furthermore, Management is fully aware of the shortcomings but lacks the intellectual horsepower and the abstract reasoning skills needed in order to correct the situation. Further exacerbating the situation, management has a comically grandiose schedule that cannot be met unless they work their staff like they are in a workhouse."

"Great company with very intelligent and cooperative individuals"

"Poor leadership across the entire organization. Morale is super low and most employees are looking for other employment. Looks like the German owners are looking to divest US operations."

"This was a contract position. I worked closely with my supervisors designing pharmaceutical equipment."

"Great place to work. I recommend this company."

"I worked at BVL for two years. This was not a long time but it was enough time to know that the people that worked there cared about the work that they were doing, for the most part. There were barriers to be found, as in any industry, but for the most part people wanted to make sure that the work was done and that it was done right. It is unfortunate what happened but there are just some things that cannot be controlled no matter how hard everyone works towards making it better."