WESTECH®
High Performance Cationic Potato Starches for Use on the Size Press.

The WESTECH® starches combine the superior film forming and film strength of potato starches with proprietary chemistry and cationic charge. WESTECH® starches are very strong. They are designed to be run at low solids in the size press and thus low size press pickup.

Successful applications of WESTECH® starches include:

• Several grades: Elimination of picking and dusting problems.

• Highly filled alkaline text papers: 20 to 40 pounds per ton size press pickup with improved optical properties. Because starch reduces both opacity and brightness, the less starch pickup the better the optical properties.

• Text paper with recycled content of 75 to 100%: Size press pickup of 20 to 40 pounds per ton.

• 35 pound opaque: Equal pickup of a WESTECH® and cationic corn, yet gave equal opacity with 50 #/ton more filler and a 75% reduction in TiO2.  WESTECH® also gave a higher Scott Bond and pick test.

• Grease and oil resistant papers: Increased 3M kit values.

Important Properties of WESTECH® Starches:
• Superior film strength
• Superior film forming
• Cationic charge
• Proprietary chemistry
• Low gel temperatures make the WESTECHS® easy to cook
• Clear films

Other Potential Uses for WESTECH® starches:
• The WESTECH® line of starches have solved dusting and picking problems.
• Because of their superior strength and cationic charge, WESTECH® starches can be used in the wet-end while being used in the size press. This eliminates the need for a separate wet-end starch cooking system.
• Being cationic, broke with WESTECH® surface size won't add anionic trash to the furnish.
• WESTECH® starches can be used on functional papers such as OGR or to replace PVA running at 3% solids and 35 pound per ton size press pickup.

WESTECH® high-performance starches are available in three viscosity ranges:
1. High Viscosity starch for very low solids or thermal conversion: WESTECH®16.
2. Medium Viscosity starches for high performance on the size press: WESTECH®17-18-19.
3. Lower Viscosity starches for higher machine speeds and coating: WESTECH® 20-21.

If you have a need for a superior size press starch, please contact our experienced sales or service departments.