Continual product development is a core strategy of Stowe Woodward, focusing on bringing improvements to customers that enhance the quality of their products and reduce production costs, such as roll covers with increased wear life and surfaces that reduce waste.

Ivory™ and Ivory Xtreme™ & Titan™ series of roll covers, results of Stowe Woodward's advanced research and development, are the first commercial covers to bring the benefits of nanoparticle technology to supercalender applications. Nanoparticle covers now produce surfaces that reach previously unattainable levels of performance and long life when applied over steel shells, cotton rolls, and all types of calendars. Stowe even has a special high-temperature formulation for Janus, Opti-load and embossing rolls.

The high temperature properties of composite technology have led to Stowe Woodward's development of long life compounds, such as Tefrok Conductive and the new economical OPAL E™ cover. Stowe's development of Flexcoat™ extends the abrasion and impact resistance of roll covers to new levels.

Research and development facilities in five countries are coordinated through Stowe Woodward's main facility in Middletown, Virginia, USA. There, more than 40 scientists and engineers working with new compounds and manufacturing procedures bring customers the roll cover properties they need to make them the top in their industry, often working directly with customers on solutions for their unique needs.