Leunawerke employed about 30000 persons, the fenced-in complex extended over an area about 7 km long and 3 km wide.
Wear and tear of the up to 70 years old plants, in particular those for the production of syngas and ammonia and the high-pressure methanol plant, increased considerably until the 1980s, so that the high expenditures for energy, upkeep, and manpower made their economical operation impossible.