The Sherwin-Williams

The Sherwin-Williams Company is a U.S.-based manufacturer and retailer of paints, coatings, and related products. Water is used across its production facilities as a product ingredient and for cleaning tanks and equipment between batches. Heidi G. Petz is the CEO of Sherwin-Williams. Because their processes generate both freshwater demand and wash-water discharge, improving cleaning precision is an important part of the company's operational water performance.

Sherwin-Williams started a proprietary wash-cycle calculator. Operators previously estimated how much rinse water was needed to clean production tanks. The new tool calculates more precise volumes, reducing unnecessary water withdrawal and wash-water generation while improving batch yields.

The company also reported broad operational improvements. Total withdrawal declined by approximately 13.7% from 2024 to 2025, while wastewater discharge fell by about 16.5%. Water intensity improved from 1.1 to 1.0 cubic meter per metric ton of production. Consumption at production facilities also decreased slightly. However, the proportion of withdrawal sourced from high- or extremely high-stress regions increased from 22% to 26%, indicating that geographic water exposure remains significant despite the overall reductions.