Wetlaid nonwovens on high speed machines

The method for production of a fibrous web according to claim wherein said high speed papermaking machine is a crescent former papermaking machine.

A method for the production of a fibrous web from a mixture of synthetic fibers and softwood kraft comprising the following steps:

• forming a fiber furnish by dispersing the fibers in an aqueous carrier in the presence of a polymeric surfactant associative thickener containing two or more of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groupings per molecule and having a molecular weight in the range of from about 10,000 to about 400,000 in an amount within the range of from about 1 to about 150 pounds of polymeric surfactant per pound of dry fiber and including an anionic viscosity modifier in the range of 10 to 500 ppm;
• supplying said fiber furnish having a consistency in the range of approximately 0.10 to 0.16 weight percent fibers to a high speed papermaking machine having a speed in the range of about 1,500 fpm (457.2 mpm) to 5,000 fpm (1,524 mpm) for forming a fibrous web.