Poeton Gloucester Review - Real Employee Experience

Published: 13 November 2025

Poeton Industries Ltd, based on Eastern Avenue in Gloucester, has built a reputation as one of the region’s best-known surface treatment specialists. The company works with metals and composites, applying advanced coatings for clients in the aerospace, automotive, and industrial sectors. It promotes itself as an established, technically skilled employer - one that combines precision engineering with a proud local heritage.

However, behind the polished image, employees have shared mixed opinions about what daily life at Poeton is really like. Some appreciate the structured training, friendly shop-floor atmosphere, and opportunities to learn rare technical processes. Others point to low pay, long hours, and inconsistent management as major drawbacks.

This review compiles factual insights drawn from real employee experiences to present a clear, unfiltered picture of what working at Poeton’s Gloucester site is genuinely like - from pay and training to management culture and health & safety standards.

Editorial note: Content on this page reflects commonly reported employee experiences observed across publicly available review platforms. It represents opinion and commentary, not verified facts, and does not reproduce individual reviews.

Company details

Poeton Industries Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 00428134 and operates from Eastern Avenue, Gloucester, GL4 3DN. The main contact telephone number for the site is +44 (0)1452 300 500. Public listings confirm this location as the company’s main operational base.

Opening hours are generally Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, although they may vary depending on department or shift patterns. The company is listed on official business directories and Companies House as providing surface treatment and engineering services from this address.

What day-to-day work looks like

Work at Poeton is hands-on and process driven. Many employees fill roles such as process operator, chrome plater, laboratory assistant or quality inspector; the work involves operating coating lines, monitoring chemical processes, preparing parts, and performing checks to ensure treatments meet customer and regulatory standards.

Staff who enjoy structured, technical work and learning process control often find the role satisfying. However, workers also report that operations can be busy and repetitive, and that workflow pressure is common during high demand periods.

Work environment and culture

Colleagues commonly describe the workforce as friendly and the shop-floor teams as supportive, but they also say that communication and management consistency are weaker points. Reviews mention that local site culture varies depending on supervisors and departments: some teams benefit from clear guidance and training, while others experience poor communication and favouritism.

A recurring theme in employee feedback is that hard work is expected but not always matched by transparent recognition or fair reward, which can create frustration.

Pay, benefits and reward

Pay at Poeton is reported as modest for the technical nature of some roles. Several current and former employees have expressed disappointment that wages feel low relative to the skill and responsibility required, and that progression or meaningful pay increases are limited.

Some staff note that small perks or occasional training are offered, but these do not offset concerns about base pay for many. For anyone weighing an offer, it’s sensible to confirm the pay band, overtime rules and any bonus arrangements up front.

Shifts, hours and work-life balance

Shift patterns depend on role and business needs. Many production roles operate around shift systems which can include early starts or split shifts during busy periods. Employees report that the work can be physically demanding and that overtime is occasionally required, particularly when meeting customer deadlines.

While some workers enjoy the predictability of shift patterns once established, others find unpredictability and last-minute overtime challenging for family life and personal plans. If regular hours and reliable home time are important to you, be clear about expected shift patterns during recruitment.

Health & Safety and training

Poeton promotes compliance and has published policies relating to quality and safety for its Gloucester plant. Some reviews praise the training provided by the company, especially for new starters learning coating processes and laboratory techniques.

At the same time, a number of employees have called for improvements in health & safety practices or in how risks are communicated and managed; these comments suggest that while basic procedures exist, enforcement and day-to-day consistency could be better in places. Prospective staff should ask about H&S training, PPE provision, and how the company manages fatigue and chemical safety on induction.

Recruitment expectations vs reality

Job adverts commonly emphasise technical skill development, varied process work, and a chance to work with specialist treatments. In reality, new recruits frequently find that roles involve repetitive tasks and that prospects for rapid advancement are limited.

Several current and former employees report that the job is a good introduction to surface treatments but that long-term career progression requires moving into supervisory roles or transferring to larger employers with more structured development pathways. Confirming the role’s long-term prospects and the company’s promotion policy during interviews is important.

Career progression and job securit

Opportunities for promotion exist but are described as limited and often slow to materialise. Employees looking for a clear, fast career ladder may find Poeton less satisfying than larger, multi-site engineering employers. That said, for technicians who wish to specialise in coatings and surface engineering, the company offers valuable hands-on experience that can be leveraged elsewhere.

Job security seems to fluctuate with market demand for metal finishing services; prospective applicants should consider the cyclical nature of manufacturing when assessing long-term stability.

Strengths and red flags - practical view for applicants

Poeton’s strengths are its technical focus, established history in surface treatments, and the opportunity to gain practical, specialised experience on process lines. The shop-floor teams can be supportive, and training is provided in many roles.

On the flip side, recurring employee criticisms include modest pay, inconsistent management communication, limited promotion prospects, and occasional concerns about H&S enforcement. These are not universal across every department, but they recur often enough that applicants should take them seriously and probe these topics in interviews.

Conclusion

Poeton Industries’ Gloucester site offers meaningful technical work in a niche area of manufacturing. For people starting out in surface engineering or those who enjoy hands-on process roles, it can be a solid place to learn. However, if you prioritise rapid progression, high base pay, or tightly managed people practices, Poeton may fall short of expectations.

The company is best suited to applicants who value technical training and are prepared to ask detailed questions about shifts, pay structure, H&S, and promotion pathways before accepting a position.

Note: In summary, Poeton’s operations in Gloucester show recurring issues with management communication, workload pressure, and inconsistent safety standards. Based on employee feedback, this is not an environment that values staff wellbeing or fair treatment. If you expect professionalism, support, and respect in your workplace, you may want to look elsewhere.