Government-sponsored expansion of the synthetic ammonia industry during World War II enabled the US to achieve world leadership in ammonia production after 1945. An important wartime innovation was the reliance at certain of the new factories on natural gas, rather than coal, as feedstock for hydrogen. The outcome was a nationwide dispersal of the ammonia industry. Sale of government factories brought new entrants to the industry. The needs of the Korean War gave a further boost to expansion and production. By the mid-1950s, there were around 50 synthetic ammonia factories in the US. Significantly, by 1960, through its American agent, the Casale ammonia process was adopted at several sites. Another European process introduced into the US was the redesignedNitrogen, processes, forClaude process Claude processClaude process, ammonia which was taken up by a major farmers’ cooperative. Manufacture of methanol from synthesis gasSynthesis gas (syngas) and based on ammonia technology achieved considerable importance. The growing use of natural gasHydrogen, processesnatural gas, by reforming as a feedstock encouraged petrochemical firms to undertake the manufacture of ammonia.