Truckload Store Delivery Case Study
Sherwin-Williams Increases Fleet Utilization by 11% with Store Delivery Services
For most people, the smells of spring are blooming flowers or fresh-cut grass. For Sherwin-Williams, it's fresh paint—and a lot of it. When warm weather arrives, the paint manufacturer and retailer must prepare for the demand of homeowners, contractors, and commercial painters gearing up for renovation projects. The seasonal surge is great for business, but a challenge for those who manage the company’s private fleet operations.
That’s where ITS Logistics comes in—bridging Sherwin-Williams’s capacity gaps and protecting revenue during their busiest time of the year. Since 2022, ITS has operated as a seamless extension of Sherwin-Williams’s private fleet, quickly injecting additional capacity to deliver freight across the Western United States at the same high standards as their contracted driver base.
Challenge
Sherwin-Williams’s Reno distribution center (DC) services one of the largest geographic footprints of any Sherwin-Williams facility—covering the West Coast, Pacific Northwest, and into Arizona, Idaho, and Utah. That reach means drivers are out longer, and loops are more challenging to maintain. If a driver is delayed returning to the DC, missed pickups can quickly cause dock congestion, stockouts in Sherwin-Williams stores, and contract breaches for their retailer partners. Sherwin-Williams needs a partner that can effectively manage last-minute shipment requests and have a carrier onsite as quickly as possible—typically in less than 24 hours of notification.
Moving shipments from distribution centers directly to storefronts raises the complexity and the stakes. Unlike standard dock-to-dock deliveries, Sherwin-Williams drivers perform multi-stop deliveries directly to Sherwin stores and big box retailers—typically located in busy strip malls with tight corners and bustling shoppers. The freight is heavy, bulky, and often HAZMAT classified. And because Sherwin-Williams drivers assist store staff with unloading and stocking, external carrier partners must adhere to strict dress codes and professional conduct.
Most providers struggle to meet all those expectations. Asset-based providers lack the scalability Sherwin-Williams needs to cover only overflow loads quickly and for the right price. Fully brokered solutions can move quickly, but struggle to ensure their drivers adhere to Sherwin-Williams’s code of conduct. And few providers are inclined to take on the challenges of high-touch, multi-stop freight.
Drivers are usually pulling a blue Sherwin-Williams trailer. That's a 48-foot billboard going down the road—it’s incredibly important to have a partner that recognizes and reflects the same standard as our Sherwin team.
Solution
Leveraging the values of its asset-lite model, ITS has built and maintained a curated pool of carrier partners whose drivers run Sherwin-Williams store deliveries on a consistent basis. These drivers are indistinguishable from contracted Sherwin-Williams drivers—identical uniforms, confidence navigating dense urban areas, knowledge of driver-assist unloading protocol, and all other expectations that come with representing a brand in a customer-facing retail environment.
Over the past two years, the service has evolved from standard overflow freight coverage into a solution that more closely resembles managed transportation. ITS now oversees the full operational loop for all covered shipments: carrier dispatch, driver briefing, store notification, ETA communication, and proactive delay advisement—all documented and shared with Sherwin's warehouse and planning teams for real-time visibility. Doing so not only ensures ITS’s carrier partners are adhering to Sherwin-Williams’s driver standards but also allows the Sherwin team to focus on their own fleet needs and performance.
We give ITS the load ID and locations, and they handle every aspect from there.
ITS’s asset-lite model is key to the success of this high-service solution. Drawing from our premium carriers and injecting ITS-owned assets already running on Sherwin-Williams’s lanes enables us to eliminate repositioning, backhaul, and capacity ceilings—ensuring speed and reducing costs so the solution is financially viable and complementary to Sherwin-Williams’s private fleet.
When Sherwin-Williams reaches out, the expectation for us is to get equipment on-site the same day and deliver by the following day. We’ve reached a point where roughly 90% of the loads we manage are delivered within 24 hours of when the store originally expected them.
Results
With ITS’s asset-lite solution at their side, Sherwin-Williams is primed to manage peak season demand with ease:
- 56 million pounds of freight: ITS carrier partners delivered 56 million pounds of freight to Sherwin-Williams store locations in 2025, with 11.7 million pounds delivered in 2026 so far.
- 11% utilization increase: By strategically supplementing their private fleet, Sherwin-Williams improved freight utilization out of the Reno DC by 11% during the 2025 peak season, increasing from 364 million pounds to 420 million pounds.
- 400 stores served: ITS has delivered to approximately 400 Sherwin-Williams stores and retail partners—roughly 90% of all locations in the Western United States.
Purchased transportation could sometimes be construed as a necessary evil. I don't look at it that way. I look at it as building a partnership — one that gives us the flexibility to maintain a consistent fleet of drivers and increase capacity when there’s demand. At the end of the day, this has been a successful partnership, and we will continue to utilize each other's strengths and needs as best we can to benefit both parties.
Ready to Extend Your Fleet?
ITS Logistics provides fully-managed store delivery solutions for Sherwin-Williams and several other major retailers in the consumer goods and home improvement industries. If your private fleet hits its ceiling when demand peaks—or if your stores deserve a delivery standard your current overflow providers can't meet—ITS Logistics can help. Our direct store delivery (DSD) and premium truckload solutions are built for shippers who want a proven, integrated partner capable of delivering their brand standards without fail. Tell us about your freight, and we'll take it from there.