Colson Cole and Mathieu Gélinas of Sherwin-Williamsa
For collision centres, the pressure to improve productivity, maintain quality and keep vehicles moving through the shop continues to grow.
That is where Mathieu Gélinas says Sherwin-Williams wants to play a larger role.
Gélinas, Regional Sales Director, Eastern Canada for Sherwin-Williams, said the company’s value to collision repair shops is not limited to paint and coatings. It is also about the technical support, field presence and long-term relationships that help shops operate more effectively.
“What first distinguishes Sherwin-Williams is its human approach,” said Gélinas.
Since joining the company in February 2024, Gélinas said he has been struck by the loyalty and pride of the Sherwin-Williams team. Seeing employees with decades of service helped him understand the culture behind the organization.
That matters, he said, because experienced and engaged employees are often the ones helping customers through real operational challenges in the field.
“Well-being comes first; performance will follow,” said Gélinas.
“Our team works closely with customers to support them in their daily operations, put strong procedures in place and then develop improvement plans that foster long-term success,” said Gélinas.
That internal culture is reflected in the company’s approach to collision centre support. Sherwin-Williams works with shops not only as a product supplier, but as a partner in the day-to-day operation of the business.
“Over the years, the company has maintained a high level of service thanks to the involvement of its technicians, representatives and managers,” said Gélinas. “I am proud, together with my team, to continue delivering that same standard of service today.”
That support can become especially important when a shop is going through a major transition, such as a change in ownership.
Gélinas said the goal in those situations is to help maintain continuity, avoid production delays and give the new ownership group confidence in the brand, the products and the support structure behind them.
“Our team works closely with customers to support them in their daily operations, put strong procedures in place and then develop improvement plans that foster long-term success,” said Gélinas.
For collision centres, that kind of support can be important. A change in ownership, process or product line can create disruption if the transition is not managed properly. Sherwin-Williams’ role, Gélinas said, is to help shops move through those changes without losing momentum.
“Our true recognition comes when customers buy into the process 100 per cent,” he said. “They do not always see all the benefits immediately, but they quickly understand the long-term scope of the project.”
The service model is supported by Sherwin-Williams’ product offering, including high-performance paints and coatings designed to improve both finish quality and shop productivity.
Gélinas said product development in recent years has focused on versatility, ease of application and faster drying times. For shops, those improvements can help reduce cycle time, improve workflow and support faster vehicle delivery to customers.
In that sense, the product conversation is also an operational one. Paint and coatings are not just about the final appearance of the repair. They can also affect throughput, consistency and profitability.
With more than 160 years of history, Sherwin-Williams is a global company in paints and coatings, serving professional, industrial, commercial and consumer customers. For collision centres, Gélinas said that scale provides confidence that the company is investing for the long term.
“For collision repair shops, it is the assurance of doing business with a well-established organization that understands their realities and invests for the long term in improving its solutions,” said Gélinas.
Sherwin-Williams is also looking to strengthen its presence in Quebec and the Maritimes. Gélinas leads a team of 14 employees and said the company is looking to add people as demand grows, particularly in Atlantic Canada.
“I am in hiring mode,” he said. “I also have open positions to better respond to demand in the Maritimes. It is a market we want to develop further.”
For Gélinas, the company’s long-term goal is to be seen less as a transactional supplier and more as a business partner to collision centres.
“Our ultimate goal is to be recognized as a business partner, not simply as a supplier,” he said.
For shops facing pressure around productivity, consistency and customer expectations, the Sherwin-Williams message is that product quality is only part of the equation. The larger value, Gélinas said, comes from combining those products with field support, technical expertise and a service culture that helps customers improve their operations over time.
