The 5 industrial gas producers, Taiyo Nippon Sanso, Air Water, Air Liquide Japan, Iwatani, and Koatsu Gas Kogyo, have announced that in 2011 (from December, 2010 to November, 2011) they obtained a total of 133 patents. This was a drop of 26% over the previous year. This is the lowest level seen during the past 10 years.