The Sherwin-Williams Co. announced that Robert A. Taylor has joined Sherwin-Williams as president of the Chemical Coatings Business Unit of the Paint Stores Group.

CLEVELAND — The Sherwin-Williams Co. announced that Robert A. Taylor, formerly president and chief operating officer of Lilly Industries Inc., has joined Sherwin-Williams as president of the Chemical Coatings Business Unit of the Paint Stores Group. The business is a producer of industrial product coatings for wood, metal and plastic surfaces. Sherwin-Williams said Taylor will lead efforts to “redirect” its chemical-coatings business strategy.

Prior to a six-year stint with Lilly Industries, a significant industrial-coatings manufacturer recently acquired by The Valspar Corp., Taylor spent 23 years with Akzo Nobel Coatings in a series of technical and management positions. Akzo Nobel Coatings also is a major industrial-coatings producer. Taylor’s work experience includes business unit management, manufacturing and engineering, corporate marketing, research and development, and supply-chain management in global coatings markets.

Sherwin-Williams Paint Stores Group President John Morkis said Taylor’s leadership is expected to result in “increased focus of our technical, sales and marketing specialists on each of our strategically defined markets.” Morkis said Taylor will lead efforts to “redefine” the chemical-coatings unit’s business strategy “to be more in line with the specific markets its serves as well as expanding its business reach to global markets.”