The writing is on the wall, how many companies or divisions do you know that have survived for one year after cancelling their annual sales meeting?

"Q2 is not looking good. So far behind plan, the management is ready to make a deal with the devil."

This should not be a big surprise to anybody working within LSG. Management has had no plan for the last few years and have made stupid acquisitions. I'm almost rooting for the numbers to be horrible so that maybe management will be changed. Most likely, people who actually do work will be axed and maangement will be spared.

And, I thought management was the devil or owned by the devil.

July 4th bang?

Q2 is not looking good. So far behind plan, the management is ready to make a deal with the devil.

So how's Q2 looking like?

It looks BioRad is having issue with SEC????

"On June 10, 2009, we dismissed Deloitte & Touche LLP, or D&T, as our independent registered public accounting firm based on the recommendation and authorization of the audit committee of our board of directors.

D&T's audit reports on our consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007 did not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles. "

http://biz.yahoo.com/e/090612/bio8-k.html

LSG should read Jim Collins new book, "How the Mighty Fall." He defines the five stages that business progress through from success to failure. LSG is definitely in the fourth to fifth stage.

1.Hubris born of success
2.Undisciplined pursuit of more
3. Denial of risk and peril
4.Grasping for salvation with a quick, big solution
5.Capitulation to irrelevance or death

LSG is too busy doing projects that should have been done years ago and will turn out to be irrelevant once the products are finally launched.

The easiest quick, big solution is to sell LSG to somebody else. There is no long term strategy, except some platitudes in the mission statement that nobody really lives as they're too busy with busywork contained in SOPs. That's what happens when you let mfg and R&D guys write all the SOPs, everybody spends all their time doing paperwork.

What products ae included in the Bio-Rad LSG portfolio? I don't see anyone (other than maybe Frank L.) interested in SELDI.

"Any idea which roles will be cut?"

Sales, marketing, manufacturing, but probably not any of the senior management that got LSG into the mess it's in now.

Sales? I would imagine it would be some middle managers and the bottom-performing reps. 

"Any idea which roles will be cut?"

Sales, marketing, manufacturing, but probably not any of the senior management that got LSG into the mess it's in now.

'My money is on June 18th especially if bioplex is not making its numbers'

Any idea which roles will be cut?

My money is on June 18th especially if bioplex is not making its numbers.

Layoff on June 18th, or delayed to accomadate more?

Bio-Rad LSG is well behind plan for Q2 and the 2010 national sales meeting in Canada has been canceled. The managers are so desperate to figure out what to do they survey the sales team to get a clue. LSG is in it deep.

"It seems BioRad owner had a strong interest to sell LSG. NS had no vision/desire to further expand or even maintain LSG. As a result, management team is trying to cut corners to meet the target profit margin.

So more layoffs, no long term investments before new owners take over."

When will the next round of layoffs be? Soon or later in the year?

"It's to make the bottom line look better, so Bio-RAd can sell LSG."

It seems BioRad owner had a strong interest to sell LSG. NS had no vision/desire to further expand or even maintain LSG. As a result, management team is trying to cut corners to meet the target profit margin.

So more layoffs, no long term investments before new owners take over.

"Looks like the national sales meeting in Canada has been cancelled. Can anyone inside LSG explain why?"

It's to make the bottom line look better, so Bio-RAd can sell LSG.

"They do look outside. Infortunately, their reputation scares (competent) people away."

I thought what was posted here was just a bunch of people trying to make Bio-Rad look bad. I am sorry I joined this dysfunctional family run company. I am looking to get out. Beware. Do not make my mistake. LSG is not a good place to be.

Looks like the national sales meeting in Canada has been cancelled. Can anyone inside LSG explain why?

"The fact Bio-Rad frequently looks internally for key positions"

They do look outside. Infortunately, their reputation scares (competent) people away.

" Or if they hire somebody from outside it's some jacka** like NR (now at Agilent) or JS, who are only interested in positioning themselves for their next job at another company. So, internally grown or externally hired, the management is fu**ed up."

JS- Class A self righteous prick who know business, but does not know anything about life science

NR - Big ego true. However, he saw how messed up Bio-Rad is and got out fast. I would have left too.

"The fact Bio-Rad frequently looks internally for key positions has resulted in a number of people who are in positions of authority, but without the skills/knowledge to really do the job well."
One perfect example is the new site manager HK at Richmond plant, this guy is in charge of a chemical plant, but he had no degree in chemistry. It's lucky that last time the fire only damaged one building, who knows what will happen next?"

Or if they hire somebody from outside it's some jacka** like NR (now at Agilent) or JS, who are only interested in positioning themselves for their next job at another company. So, internally grown or externally hired, the management is fu**ed up.

"The fact Bio-Rad frequently looks internally for key positions has resulted in a number of people who are in positions of authority, but without the skills/knowledge to really do the job well."
One perfect example is the new site manager HK at Richmond plant, this guy is in charge of a chemical plant, but he had no degree in chemistry. It's lucky that last time the fire only damaged one building, who knows what will happen next?

For regular BR employees, it's lower pay compared with other bay area companies. And more risky at recession time (company such as agilent, dionnex etc. first freeze salary, take unpaid leaves before resorting to layoff).

"Look who LSG management is promoting from within. Do these people really have the skills to lead these groups/divisions/sales organizations? I am scared, what about others who work in LSG?"

The fact Bio-Rad frequently looks internally for key positions has resulted in a number of people who are in positions of authority, but without the skills/knowledge to really do the job well. They get training so they can talk a good game, but do not have the practical experience to be effective. These people know it and spend a great deal of time protecting their turf. It is a strange culture with some real strange characters running the show.

"Regardless of competence, how are the Q2 sales numbers looking? How well has the qPCR business rebounded from the transition and discontinuation of old instruments? How many or few of the ProteOn systems are selling? How are customers reacting to the transition with Bioplex assays? How do customers react to the new website?"

By chance, do you work for a competitor? Sure looks like it to me.

Regardless of competence, how are the Q2 sales numbers looking? How well has the qPCR business rebounded from the transition and discontinuation of old instruments? How many or few of the ProteOn systems are selling? How are customers reacting to the transition with Bioplex assays? How do customers react to the new website?

If using only one word to describe lsg management, then it has to be: incompetent.
In the cases of surviving competent managers, they will be got rid off sooner or later. Since their presence make the major of management team uncomfortable.

Look who LSG management is promoting from within. Do these people really have the skills to lead these groups/divisions/sales organizations? I am scared, what about others who work in LSG?

"Please don't just shut up. File the WARN ACT lawsuit so that yours and remaining BR employee labor rights can be protected.
Also, spread as wide as possible about these BR managers who are derserving a bad reputation, so that they will not simply jump to a different company to continue their BS."

I doubt anyone would go to this trouble. Who wants to deal with a lawsuit? Besides it's best just to leave, like many of us are planning.

Just don't work for anyone who is currently a division manager at Bio-Rad. They are all brainless morons. I know this for a fact, I've worked for several of them.

I agree that Bio-Rad Sr. and Executive Management is responsible for the low margins on many of the products. Because this company is a "me too" company, they enter markets after they have developed. The management does not have the vision to see a market developing and invest in it early.

They do tend to have low margins. You can see it in their financial data. Here is my take on it: In their rush to join the market they make bad deals with OEM partners or push products forward and do not take the time to figure out how to be cost effective when they build a new product line. The management pushes it through just to have a presence and be in the market.

Management is responsible for low margins. Most of products BR have are "me too".BR keeps taking money out, has no intention to reinvest in R&D to launch advanced products.
It seems obvious that the owner of BR want to get rid of LSG soon by withholding long term investments.

Blame your CEO and yourselves for this meltdown. If you look at the finacials for the comapny your margins are horrible. This equals lots of sales at very low profits. Comes from to much whining about prices by employees and sales reps. "they can't compete without lower prices" :( yes, these types of salespeople do get laid off. BR has always been known for taking low quality salespeople. Often a first shot at sales for wannabees that for justified reasons never got the opportunity at other companies. Good sales reps don;t get laid off and are assured jobs throughout their careers. They are like free agents.

So now the market will be saturated with BR "sales Reps" (title used very loosely) so what? Just means they will see the light and go back to being bench techs and lab techs. :)

"What a bunch of whiners. As one of the people who got laid off in March, I only felt relieved to get out of LSG. Get out, make a change or shut up about the people, the culture and how so many sales reps will be looking for work. Sales reps turnover at a high rate for all companies and are replaceable, just as everyone else is, which is what eventually will happen to the managers in charge of all the past bad decisions."

Please don't just shut up. File the WARN ACT lawsuit so that yours and remaining BR employee labor rights can be protected.
Also, spread as wide as possible about these BR managers who are derserving a bad reputation, so that they will not simply jump to a different company to continue their BS.

What a bunch of whiners. As one of the people who got laid off in March, I only felt relieved to get out of LSG. Get out, make a change or shut up about the people, the culture and how so many sales reps will be looking for work. Sales reps turnover at a high rate for all companies and are replaceable, just as everyone else is, which is what eventually will happen to the managers in charge of all the past bad decisions.

'Everyone who's complaining about people, culture, etc., leave. The economy is not that bad no matter what the media keeps bleating about. I'm already close to landing a new job and I know a good number of other LSG employees who are actively looking and plan to leave. I say good riddance as soon as I'm out of LSG.'

It's going to be a tough job market in some sales regions at the end of 2009, because so may reps are going to be jumping off the LSG ship at the same time as soon as the commission payouts are finalized end of year. 

Everyone who's complaining about people, culture, etc., leave. The economy is not that bad no matter what the media keeps bleating about. I'm already close to landing a new job and I know a good number of other LSG employees who are actively looking and plan to leave. I say good riddance as soon as I'm out of LSG.

"BC might be forced to leave soon.
JS want to take BC's position, while let his buddy SC (seldi manager) tkae his own spot."
JS don't always get want he want. He got fired from molecular devices, couldn't hack it on his own, so his current job is booby prize. BC should watch out for him, he stab anybody in the back to get what he want.
If SC have more employees, more ladies he can harass. Don't wear short skirt or loose top around SC, he can't think too hard then.

BC might be forced to leave soon.
JS want to take BC's position, while let his buddy SC (seldi manager) tkae his own spot.

Should cut some of the division and group managers:

PC: what does he do? other than brown nose BC
JS: surrounds himself with yes-people as he can't stand dissent. Let's see how many product lines he can ruin
BK: happy to be number three in his market, well there's some ambition!
AT: cell biology strategy, hasn't this been done before at other companies? and better! makes great deals with licensors too.
SH: needs to get rid of all the dead wood before anything real will change in that group. She's had over a year so it's obviously not going to change
JH: tells a good joke, but what else?
BC: he'll stick around for a few years and then will go work for life tech

Let's not forget the selling divisions.
DF: Dave's old buddy, let's see if he can actually make the European selling organization less costly
FC: what has he done in AP?
SS: what a narcissistic, egotistical, clown
PC: still brown-nosing
I can't even remember who it is in Japan as it changes so frequently, but doesn't matter anyway as Japan doesn't sell anything

If we cut the bottom 20% which ones would that be?
Maybe all us employees should vote. Anybody care to vote?

R&D, Process development in MOD, tech support will be cut also.

I see the new website is up. It's just as exciting and relevant as the new phone book in the movie The Jerk. It will definitely not help LSG with its old products and lackluster vision.

"Some sales people will go in the next round of cuts. Those with remote and small accounts will see inside sales people being assigned their regions. Remaining sales people will be given larger geographic regions with fewer accounts."

So how many total do you think?

Some sales people will go in the next round of cuts. Those with remote and small accounts will see inside sales people being assigned their regions. Remaining sales people will be given larger geographic regions with fewer accounts.

LSG is not what it once was. It is now run by people with no vision and focused entirely on their own selfish goals. Many good people are getting the shaft.

NS is seeking buyer for LSG. BC is trying to make LSG look good on book for 1 year or so before deal can be reached.

Just plan like every day is your last day and take any information that you want now.

"Unfortunately, all this will succeed in doing is to delay the inevitable. Of course, it might give you a few extra hours in the early AM to clean out you desk before getting the axe."
Phone in next morning saying that you might have caught swine flu from work!

"Take a day off on these days then. Legally, company can't terminate an employee in absence."

Unfortunately, all this will succeed in doing is to delay the inevitable. Of course, it might give you a few extra hours in the early AM to clean out you desk before getting the axe.

Take a day off on these days then. Legally, company can't terminate an employee in absence.

Just be prepared every other Thursday for the rest of the year. Get all the stuff you want out of your desk before then and any information off your computer.