Behind the scenes: How collaboration and coating innovation brought the Apex 2026 calendar to life
At Stahl, we’re always looking for meaningful ways to help printers and brands experience the real performance of our coatings. Not just in theory, but in their hands.
Our recent collaboration with Apex International and Lake County Press brought that idea to life in the form of a fully finished 2026 desktop calendar.
What started as a technical initiative grew into a fully finished product: a 2026 desktop calendar designed to showcase how coatings behave in real-world production environments.
Why a desktop calendar? Turning coatings into something you can hold
Printers and converters frequently evaluate coatings and anilox roller designs using isolated test sheets, but these samples rarely reflect the realities of day‑to‑day production. We wanted to change that.
That’s why the project team set out to create something different: a fully finished, market-ready product that would show real coating performance with advanced anilox roller technology under authentic press conditions.
The resulting calendar offers more than aesthetic appeal; its refined finishes provides a premium sensory experience aligned with high‑quality production standards.
The calendar concept and creative theme were developed by Apex, supported by the performance advantages of GTT Technology Anilox rolls. This advanced engraving technology elevated coating performance to an entirely new level, showcasing the full range of embellishment possibilities achievable through the combination of premium coatings and industry-leading anilox innovation.
Lake County Press embraced the brief and transformed the concept into a truly impressive calendar, expertly managing the complete production process. Their design team took the original theme and raised the bar significantly, delivering a finished piece that perfectly reflects both technical excellence and creative impact.
Twelve months, two finishes, endless possibilities
Each month of the calendar features the same artwork printed twice:
- One side with a standard aqueous coating
- One side with enhancement coatings applied using Apex’s anilox roller
This side‑by‑side comparison allows printers to instantly see and feel the visual and tactile differences achieved through controlled coating laydown.
Our contribution: High‑quality coatings that unlock real effects
✔️ We provided both the standard coating and the enhancement coatings
✔️ We provided the technical guidance on which coatings to use where.
Three key enhancement effects formed the heart of the demonstration:
- High gloss: A dramatic, mirror‑like gloss achieved when Stahl’s coating interacts with the precision volume control of Apex’s GTT anilox roller.
- Drip‑off effect: A textured base combined with a high‑gloss topcoat creates striking contrast areas -matte versus gloss- making images stand out with depth and dimension.
- Soft Touch: A velvet‑like tactile finish described as richer and smoother than what is typically achieved using other rollers.
These effects are not complex specialty applications; they are basic, achievable enhancements, made more accessible through the new anilox technology and high‑quality coatings.
Working alongside the press operators at Lake County Press and the anilox experts at Apex International allowed us to refine each coating step until the final product met our shared quality expectations.
Designed to live on desks and start conversations
The calendar is meant to live on desks. To get picked up. To be flipped over. To let the coatings speak for themselves.
As I shared during development:
“The goal was to leave this on people’s desks so they look at the effects, feel the contrast, and immediately understand what’s possible.”
The result is an interactive, visually rich desk calendar that demonstrates the power of pairing advanced coatings with thoughtful design and the use of new anilox roller technology.
Looking Ahead
We’re proud of our role in this project and excited about how it showcases the benefits of coating innovation in the offset market. Projects like this help printers understand what’s achievable, and what modern coating technologies can unlock when paired with the right equipment and expertise.
As I often say:
“This is just a starting point: there is strong traction for similar projects in other markets too.”
About the author: Don Newberry is Global Marketing Director for Packaging Coatings at Stahl. He brings extensive experience in marketing and product management for specialty coatings and is known for advancing innovation, sustainability, and customer‑driven solutions for global packaging and labelling markets.