ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Costco Wholesale Corp. last month made a $1 billion deal to bolster its e-commerce operations, acquiring Innovel Solutions, a logistics firm specializing in the storage and delivery of big and bulky items.

The move is seen as helping Costco support online sales of such products as furniture, large appliances, fitness equipment and big-screen televisions.

Innovel was a subsidiary of Transform Holdco LLC, as the new Sears has been known since Sears Holdings Corp. emerged from bankruptcy last year. Innovel has long provided Sears stores with last-mile delivery and installation services. Costco has been a customer of Innovel since 2015. As part of last month’s deal, Costco will provide warehousing, delivery and installation services to Sears and Kmart.

“We have had a great relationship with Innovel and share a philosophy of taking care of our members,” Costco chief executive officer Craig Jelinek said in a statement. “We believe the acquisition will allow us to grow our e-commerce sales of ‘big and bulky’ items at a faster rate.”

Innovel’s network offers coverage to nearly 90% of the United States and Puerto Rico. Innovel consistently ranks in the top quartile of customer satisfaction scores, according to Costco. Innovel employs more than 1,500 people and operates 11 distribution/fulfillment centers and more than 100 final-mile cross-dock centers, with over 15 million square feet of warehouse space. The company also operates dedicated call centers.

The transaction will provide Innovel and its employees with resources to continue to build out a best-in-class logistics platform. Some proceeds from the sale will allow Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based Transform Holdco to repay its non-real estate debt as well as pursue other actions to leverage its core assets and capabilities to realize maximum value for ­stakeholders.

Transform Holdco is controlled by former Sears CEO Edward Lampert through his ESL Holdings hedge fund. Lampert stepped down in 2018 after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Lampert got a second chance to revive the brand after emerging as the winning bidder in the bankruptcy court proceedings.