20-Year trends in laid-open invention patent applications: Analyzing global and Taiwan's development in chemical patent technologies

1.  The global focus of invention patents has shifted from chemistry to electrical engineering over the past 20 years, while Taiwan’s chemical field has grown annually by 4.6%, outshining the 2% increase in the field of electrical engineering.  

　In 2003, the worldwide laid-open PCT patent applications for the chemical field topped the ranking of application number with 33,461 cases, followed by the 30,616 applications filed for the field of electrical engineering.  With a shift in patent filing strategy, the patent applications for the electrical engineering field in 2023 surged to 105,437 cases, surpassing those filed for the chemical field (58,102 cases).  From 2003 to 2023, there had been an average rise of 2.8% (CAGR) in the applications filed for the chemical field, which is lower than the 6.4% growth in the field of electrical engineering.  In Taiwan, the number of laid-open invention patent applications filed with the TIPO for the electrical engineering field has consistently ranked first over the past 20 years.  In 2023, there were 21,130 invention patent applications filed for the electrical engineering field, more than the 13,677 applications filed for the chemical field.  However, the invention patent applications filed for the chemical field from 2004 to 2023 grew at an annual average rate of 4.6%, more than the 2% increase in the electrical engineering field, which demonstrates a trend different from the global tendency.  

　The field of electrical engineering includes the technical subfields of “semiconductors”, “computing technology”, and “digital communications”, while the field of chemistry spans a diverse range of technologies including “pharmaceuticals” (e.g., antiviral drugs and treatment or symptom relief medications), “biotechnology” (e.g., diagnostic methods and vaccines), “polymer chemistry” (e.g., polymer semiconductor materials for semiconductors), “surface treatment” (e.g., coating for semiconductors, steel plates, and glass), “organic precision chemistry” (e.g., cosmetic products like lipsticks and mascaras).  

2.  The U.S. has maintained its top position as the global leader in the number of laid-open invention patent applications for the chemical field over the past 20 years, while Japan continues to be the top filing country in Taiwan.  

　For the past 20 years, the U.S. has consistently ranked first globally in the number of PCT invention patent applications in the chemical field with over 12,100 cases each year.  Japan has also demonstrated strong performance with its PCT patent applications climbing from 4,600 cases in 2003 to 9,700 cases in 2023 and had been staying at the 2^nd spot until 2022.  It is noticeable that the number of applications from China soared to 10,200 cases in 2023, ascending to no. 2 worldwide.  Likewise, South Korea surpassed Germany in 2022 in the increasing number of applications of 4,250 cases in 2023.  

　Over the past 20 years, Japan has been holding the top position in the number of laid-open invention patent applications in the field of chemistry in Taiwan with the increasing number of applications from 1,900 cases in 2004 to 5,200 cases in 2023.  Taiwan and the U.S. alternated in the second place, with their respective number of patent applications rising to around 2,100 cases and 2,700 cases, respectively, in 2023.  The invention applications from China and South Korea also leapt to outnumber those filed from Germany in 2020 and further rose to 1,300 and 660 cases, respectively, in 2023.  

3.  In 2023, the U.S. outpaced its peers in filings for the subfield of “pharmaceuticals” both in the world and in Taiwan, and Japan beat other countries in filings in Taiwan for the subfields of “polymer chemistry”, “surface treatment”, and “organic precision chemistry”.  

　A closer look at the global laid-open PCT applications in the field of chemistry reveals that the U.S. accounted for 38.3% and 38.4% of the laid-open PCT applications filed in the subfields of “pharmaceuticals” and “biotechnology”, the two primary technical areas of the chemical field, ranking first globally.  China came in 2^nd by contributing 19.7% and 19.8% of the applications in the two subfields, while Japan, South Korea, and Germany each had smaller shares below 9%, which highlights the U.S.’s dominant position in the two subfields.  

　In 2023, the laid-open invention patent applications in the field of chemistry were mostly filed for the subfields of “pharmaceuticals”, “polymer chemistry”, “surface treatment”, and “organic precision chemistry” in Taiwan.  In the subfield of “pharmaceuticals”, the U.S. held the largest share at 33.8%, followed by Taiwan with a share of 16.5%, China with a share of 15.6%, and Japan with a share of 13.3%.  Japan prioritized the subfields of “polymer chemistry” and “surface treatment” with shares at 67.9% and 45.8%, respectively, significantly outpacing Taiwan and the U.S..  Also, Japan led in the subfield of “organic precision chemistry” with a share of 27.3%, closely followed by Taiwan with a share of 25.9% at no. 2 and China with a share of 14.6% at no. 3.  These figures reveal these filing countries’ different competitive landscape in various chemical technology sectors, with the U.S. excelling in the subfield of “pharmaceuticals”, and Japan dominating in the subfields of “polymer chemistry” and “organic precision chemistry”.  

4.  In 2023, the top 25 applicants of PCT applications in the chemical field were from a wide range of industries, while the top 25 applicants of TIPO filings were primarily concentrated in industries, such as, semiconductor materials. 

　A closer analysis shows that the global applicants of chemical inventions are the key targets of interest for the industry.  In 2023, Germany's BASF SE was the leading applicant of the laid-open PCT patent applications in the field of chemistry by filing 371 applications, preceding its global peers, like the University of California in the U.S. (with 328 applications) and France-based L’Oréal S.A. (with 296 applications).  The top 25 applicants of PCT applications included the major chemical industry players, such as, BASF SE and LG Chem in the chemistry industry, L’Oréal S.A., the global beauty giant in the cosmetics industry, Unilever and Kao Corporation, leading consumer goods leaders, as well as the applicants from the industries, like steel manufacturing, electronic materials, display materials, and specialty glass, and academic and research institutions were also well-represented.  Among the top 25 applicants, 10 were from Japan, 6 from the U.S., and 2 from China, which reflects these countries’ (regions’) patent filing strategies based on their strengths in the chemical field as they continue building their foundations and advantages.  

　As to the top 25 applicants of laid-open chemical patent applications filed with the TIPO in 2023, Japan’s Nitto Denko Corporation was the top applicant with 255 applications, ahead of Fujifilm Corporation with 188 applications and Applied Materials, Inc. with 179 applications.  The top 25 applicants concentrated their applications on semiconductor materials, consumer electronics materials, and display materials.  Among them, Japanese applicants dominated with 17 entries, followed by 2 from the U.S., 2 from China, and only one Taiwan applicant, the Industrial Technology Research Institute, making it into the top 25.  (Released 2024.11.27)    
/CCS