Custom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product Development - WestChem Technologies

WestChem’s in-house laboratory supports industrial customers with custom chemical formulation, product development, testing and troubleshooting. As a Canadian chemical manufacturer, we can work with customers to develop new chemistry, modify existing formulations, evaluate product performance and solve application-specific challenges.

Whether you’re looking to replace a discontinued product, improve the performance or efficiency of an existing chemistry, or develop something specifically for your process, our laboratory and technical team can help determine the right approach.

Learn About Custom Lab Services | Talk to Our Team

08OctOctober 8, 2026

Follow the Formula: What to Look for in an Industrial Chemical Manufacturer and Distributor

When you're sourcing industrial chemicals, it's easy to focus on the product itself. Does it meet the specification? Is it available? What does it cost? Those questions matter. But understanding who manufactures the chemistry, how it gets to you and what expertise and support stand behind it can be just as important. In other words, follow the formula. Who Actually Manufactures Your Industrial Chemicals? Not...

By amyChemical Product Supply, Custom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product DevelopmentArticles, chemical, chemistry, distribution, industrial, westchem0 Comments

Industrial Chemical Why Viscosity Matters in Industrial Chemical Performance

18SepSeptember 18, 2026

Why Viscosity Matters in Industrial Chemical Performance

When you think about what makes an industrial chemical perform properly, the formula itself is only part of the equation. How a product flows, spreads and stays where it is applied can have a significant impact on how well it works. That’s where viscosity testing comes in. WHAT IS VISCOSITY? Simply put, viscosity is a measure of a liquid’s resistance to flow, or...

By amyCustom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product Developmentchemical, chemistry, industrial, specialty chemical, testing, viscosity, westchem0 Comments

Paint Stripping: The Benefits of Using an Inhibitor

23AugAugust 23, 2026

Protect Aluminum During Paint Stripping: The Benefits of Using an Inhibitor

Paint stripping is about more than just removing a coating—it's about protecting the surface underneath. Whether you're refinishing aluminum wheel rims or other aluminum components, small process improvements can help preserve the base metal, extend the life of your stripper, and deliver more consistent results. Strip the Coating. Not the Wheel. James, WestChem's Senior Chemist Lab Manager, demonstrates how adding an aluminum...

By amyCustom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product Development, NewsArticles, chemical, chemistry, industrial, Paint, Paint Strippers, Training, westchem0 Comments

Building Resilience Through Smarter Supply Chains

11JunJune 11, 2026

Building Resilience Through Smarter Supply Chains

Manufacturers across North America continue to navigate changing regulations, transportation costs, supply chain disruptions, and trade uncertainty. At WestChem, we believe the best response isn't to react to every challenge. It's to build a business that is resilient, adaptable, and focused on customer success. Proudly Canadian, Focused on North America WestChem is proud to be a Canadian company, but our customers operate throughout...

By amyChemical Product Supply, Custom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product DevelopmentArticles, canadian, westchem0 Comments

Controlling bacteria, fungi, and slime buildup in industrial systems.

02JunJune 2, 2026

Oxidizing Biocides vs. Non-Oxidizing Biocides

When it comes to controlling bacteria, fungi, and slime buildup in industrial systems, the conversation often comes down to two categories of chemistry: Oxidizing Biocides vs. Non-Oxidizing Biocides Both can be highly effective, but they work very differently — and choosing the wrong approach can create performance issues, corrosion concerns, operator complaints, or ongoing biological problems that never fully go away. Oxidizing Biocides Oxidizing biocides work...

By amyCustom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product DevelopmentArticles, biocides, canadian, chemical, chemistry, industrial, Preventive Maintenance, westchem0 Comments

westchem coolant performance

14MayMay 14, 2026

Coolant Performance: A checklist for basic maintenance

Coolant performance is getting more attention right now—and for good reason. As tooling costs rise, small inefficiencies that were once easy to ignore are becoming more expensive. One of the most common places shops lose performance is in their coolant system, often without realizing it. Before looking at tools or process changes, it’s worth taking a closer look at...

By amyChemical Product Supply, Custom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product Development, Training & Tutorialscanadian, chemistry, coolant, lubricants, machine shop, metalworking, tooling costs, Training, westchem0 Comments

Quality Control at WestChem

15AprApril 15, 2026

From Curiosity to Consistency: How Quality Control Drives WestChem Excellence

At WestChem Technologies, quality isn’t left to chance — it’s built into every process, every batch, and every product that leaves our facility. Behind that consistency is a dedicated Quality Control team, including professionals like Dailan Perry, whose hands-on experience and analytical mindset help ensure that every formulation performs exactly as expected. Built from the Ground Up Dailan’s experience with WestChem began early,...

By amyCustom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product DevelopmentArticles, chemistry, excellence, industrial, iso 9001, iso 9001 certified, westchem0 Comments

Chemical Blast Replacement

26MarMarch 26, 2026

Chemical Blast Replacement: Is There a Better Way to Prepare Metal?

Metal finishing remains one of WestChem’s core markets — and surface preparation is where performance begins. For decades, abrasive blasting has been the standard method for removing scale, coatings, and contaminants before coating or finishing. It works. But it isn’t without cost. Blasting can be: Expensive to operate Labour-intensive Noisy and dusty Weather-dependent (especially in Canadian winters) Difficult to control consistently indoors As facilities look...

By amyChemical Product Supply, Custom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product Developmentblasting, chemical, chemical blast replacement, chemistry, industrial, mechanical, metalworking, pre-treatment, Training, westchem0 Comments

Industrial Trial was at risk for a customer

09MarMarch 9, 2026

When It Matters Most: Going the Extra Mile for an Industrial Trial

In any industrial trial, success often comes down to preparation, precision, and timing. But occasionally, it also comes down to determination — and a willingness to do whatever it takes to make things work. This is one of those stories. The Challenge: A Critical Chemical and a Narrow Window Ahead of a major trial with a large manufacturer in Calgary, a key chemical...

By amyCustom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product Developmentcanadian, chemical, chemistry, customer service, emergency response, industrial, partnership, teamwork, westchem0 Comments

Water Break Free Surface - WestChem Case Study

03MarMarch 3, 2026

Case Study: What a “Water Break-Free” Surface Tells You About Your Process

Are you familiar with a water break-free surface? In industrial cleaning and pretreatment, results don’t hide. The surface tells the story. In this case, we’re looking at steel parts coming directly out of a full pretreatment process. What we see is exactly what you want to see: a water break-free surface, along with the subtle blue/purple coloration that indicates a successful zirconium coating. These...

By amyCustom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product Development, Newschemical process, cleaning process, test, water break free, water break free surface, zirconium coating0 Comments

Wear-in vs Wear-out and why lubricant is important

27JanJanuary 27, 2026

Wear-in vs Wear-out: how metal parts learn to work together over time with proper lubrication

How metal parts wear and “learn” to work together over time and why lubricant is paramount to longevity 1. Wear-in vs Wear-out (the big distinction) Early life: “wear-in” New metal parts often have microscopic roughness, even if they look smooth. When parts first start working together, those high points gently abrade or polish each other. This can actually improve performance by increasing...

By amyCustom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product Development, Training & Tutorialsexcellence, fluids, industrial, lubricants, metalworking, westchem0 Comments

02OctOctober 2, 2025

Case Study: Reducing Chemical Waste Through Equipment Maintenance

“Maintenance of equipment saves money” Background WestChem Technologies Inc. supplies and manages specialty chemical products for industrial clients. As part of routine audits, the TechKleen 601 system was flagged for higher-than-expected consumption. This triggered an on-site investigation in May 2024 to identify potential inefficiencies and hidden costs in chemical usage. Problem Both wash bays using TechKleen 601 wands were leaking chemical concentrate...

By amyChemical Product Supply, Custom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product Development0 Comments

28AugAugust 28, 2025

WOWZA!™ vs. IPA: Finding the Best Fit for Facility Cleaning

Lab Testing: Demonstrate the effectiveness of WOWZA!™ versus 19% IPA as a general industrial cleaner. Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) is widely used as a cleaner and disinfectant, but it does have some limitations and problems, especially in industrial or facility use. Known issues with IPA as an industrial cleaner and disinfectant Performance Limitations Evaporation Rate – IPA evaporates very quickly, which can make...

By amyCustom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product Developmentaffordable, canadian, case study, eco friendly, industrial cleaner, ipa, non toxic, wowza0 Comments

best seam sealant for powder coating - powderseal

17MarMarch 17, 2025

Best Seam Sealant for Powder Coating: WestChem PowderSeal™HT

The results are in! WestChem's PowderSeal™ HT performs better than others in actual client test for best seam sealant for powder coating! What is PowderSeal™ HT? PowderSeal™ HT is a cold applied, heat-curing sealant. It is a flexible sealant designed for sealing metals prior to painting or powder-coating. PowderSeal™ HT outperforms competitors in actual field testing and shows superior dispensing qualities with least...

By amyChemical Product Supply, Custom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product Developmentcase study, chemistry, industrial, westchem0 Comments

06JunJune 6, 2024

Technical Training – Total Acid Titration Iron Phosphate / Zirconium Bath

This video guides the operator through the total acid titration of a 5% iron phosphate and zirconium bath. This includes instructions on how to dispense the proper amount of bath solution, which indicator to use, which test solution and how to control the flow of the test solution from the burette. Using the methodology in this video and the numerical factor found...

By MeringueCustom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product Development, Training & Tutorials5% iron phosphate, Articles, Audio, canada, Paint, Powder, safe, specialty chemical, total acid titration, Training, westchem, zirconium bath0 Comments

custom lab services at westchem

custom lab services at westchem

09FebFebruary 9, 2024

Custom Lab Services at WestChem Technologies – A – Z

LAB TEST LIST & EXPLANATIONS Here's an A-Z list of everything WestChem's in-house team does in the lab and why... BLISTER ANALYSIS – ASTM D714 - Determines the degree of blistering of a painted specimen. BOIL TEST - Refer to Cross Hatch Dry Adhesion. Except, the test specimen is immersed in 100C boiling RO/DI Water for 20 minutes. CAULKING ANALYSIS - Determine the effectiveness...

By HeatherChemical Product Supply, Custom Chemical Formulation, Testing & Product Developmentchemical, chemistry, cleaning, Content, Css, fluids, industrial, Local Lab, lubricants, metalworking, plating, pre-treatment, supplier, westchem0 Comments

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