Do it Best Group and Sherwin-Williams announced a long-term strategic partnership that will expand Sherwin-Williams’ role in supplying paint products to both Do it Best member stores and the growing network of True Value retailers.
The agreement comes less than two years after Do it Best acquired the assets of True Value out of bankruptcy, bringing one of the hardware industry’s most recognizable brands under the cooperative’s umbrella. The acquisition included True Value’s retail brand portfolio, distribution assets, and paint manufacturing operations.
“This partnership allows us to keep control of the brands and the retailer experience while adding the scale and innovation of a global leader in the paints and coatings industry,” said Do it Best Group CEO Dan Starr. “It is a smart, future-focused move that strengthens what we can deliver in the category.”
Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Do it Best operates as a member-owned cooperative that helps independent hardware stores and lumber dealers compete with national chains through collective purchasing power, distribution, and private-label programs. The company has expanded rapidly in recent years, most notably through its acquisition of True Value in November 2024.
Under the new arrangement, Sherwin-Williams will manufacture a broad range of paint products for the combined Do it Best and True Value retail network. Company officials said the partnership is intended to strengthen paint offerings, improve supply chain reliability, and support future product innovation for independent retailers.
The announcement builds on a relationship that already existed between the two companies. Do it Best’s private-label Best Look paint line has long been manufactured by Sherwin-Williams and marketed as an exclusive offering for cooperative members.
The agreement also provides some clarity regarding the future of True Value’s paint business. Before its acquisition, True Value marketed the EasyCare paint brand through thousands of independent hardware stores.
Neither company disclosed financial terms of the partnership. However, executives described the agreement as a long-term commitment designed to combine Do it Best’s retailer network and brand ownership with Sherwin-Williams’ manufacturing, product development, and supply chain capabilities.