At the end of 1923, Ammonia Casale faced a financial crisis. Notwithstanding the great success achieved in Japan, there was a dire need of fresh capital, particularly for sustaining the expensive development work at Terni. There were also concerns of competition in ammonia production and marketing. No less problematic was the already difficult personal relationship between Luigi Casale[aut]Casale, Luigi and René Leprestre[aut]Leprestre, René. Luigi had come to despise Leprestre as a person. The outcome was a falling out, followed by a major reorganization at Ammonia Casale, including new investors. The French entrepreneur Hippolyte Bouchayer[aut]Bouchayer, Hippolyte, who had introduced much new licensing business for Casale technology through his connection with the French aluminum company PechineyPechiney, was appointed president. New markets were sought, and new technical innovations were introduced. In 1925, Luigi Casale[aut]Casale, Luigi inaugurated Italy’s first industrial research and development organization, dedicated to innovations in the area of high-pressure chemical processes. Luigi Casale[aut]Casale, Luigi was in an expansive mood. However, he had sustained a serious accident in 1917 while working on asphyxiating gases, resulting in his untimely death a decade later, while in his forties.