Halle (dpa/sa) - The chemical industry in Leuna sees itself in increasing difficulties in view of the high gas prices and is demanding rapid support from politicians. "We currently have production restrictions of around 50 percent across the operations at the site," said the managing director of Infraleuna GmbH, Christof Günther, on Wednesday in Halle. "We have a situation where the chemical industry can no longer work economically and where we urgently need support, because it is obvious to everyone that a loss-making plant operation can only be maintained for a very limited time."
In the Leuna chemical park, the various companies and plants are linked. In this network, the chemical industry produces very efficiently and competitively. "Now it is important to prevent essential elements from breaking out of this network for economic reasons," said Günther. This could lead to other plants that can currently still be operated economically also having to go out of operation.
"If such a development sets in, it will have a domino effect, which means that the chemical industry will not only be affected in Leuna, but in the entire central German chemical triangle," Günther continued. Without a doubt, this would also have an impact on the entire subsequent industry such as electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, plant construction, construction and agriculture. "Everywhere the subsequent value-added stages are dependent on the chemical products." There was a risk of supply chain disruptions "that nobody can imagine at the moment".
Around 12,000 people work for around 100 companies at the industrial site, including 600 in the oil refinery. Infraleuna offers services for companies. This includes the energy supply from our own gas-fired power plants.
The general manager of the Halle-Dessau Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Thomas Brockmeier, said that the problem of energy shortages must be combated. "We need more energy on the market from all sources that we can control. Gas and electricity. That's the most important political message first of all." Nuclear power plants and coal-fired power plants should not be taken off the grid. You also have to rely on fracking. "We have to bring everything, everything we can get, onto the market so that prices fall. If they don't fall, it can't be paid for."
