Consumers Energy and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. celebrated more than $1 billion worth of investment by the utility at a supplier’s summit at Grand Valley State University’s L.V. Eberhard Center on Thursday, April 16.
Consumers Energy executives got a start on the next $1 billion in spending as they huddled with suppliers after handing out a series of awards to companies that fulfilled their 5-year pledge to spend $1 billion in four years.
“Ten percent of the companies that come to these conferences end up with a contract,” said Dan Malone, senior vice president of energy resources for the Jackson-based energy provider. Nearly 400 companies throughout Michigan have benefited from their contracts, he said.
“We’ve kept our promise to Michigan by increasing our ‘home state’ spending with other businesses by $1 billion in the past 4 years, one year ahead of plan. This ‘Michigan first’ program has helped other businesses add more than 5,000 jobs,” Malone said.
“They’re providing high quality goods and services to help us improve customer satisfaction and upgrade our electric and natural gas delivery.”
Officials of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) said Consumers Energy’s commitment to hiring Michigan contractors helped the state’s economy recover through “Pure Michigan Business Connect,” a program that helps companies find in-state contractors.
“More people are working in our state today because of Pure Michigan Business Connect and supporters like Consumers Energy and major suppliers,” said Steve Arwood, president and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
Launched in 2011, Pure Michigan Business Connect is a public-private alliance of the MEDC, state agencies and major Michigan companies and organizations that connects in-state companies to business resources.
Consumers Energy took the program one step farther with its “Pay it Forward” program, which encourages its Michigan-based suppliers to use Michigan-based sub-contractors and suppliers to further stimulate job gains and economic growth.
The following seven companies were recognized today for doing work for Consumers Energy while “paying it forward” by hiring Michigan subcontractors:
• Newkirk Electric of Muskegon was honored for doing $16 million worth of work, ranging from electric installations to maintenance work of systems at facilities including the J.H. Campbell generating complex and Zeeland generating station. Newkirk
• Northern Boiler of Muskegon has $17.8 million worth of contracts, including pipe replacement and sump pump replacement at the Zeeland generating station.
• Pumford Construction of Saginaw has $29.4 million worth of contracts, including building the new West Branch Service Center and Groveland Service Center.
• Monarch Welding of Bay City has $7.1 million worth of contracts, including upgrades to the Bay City service center and mechanical support at the Karn/Weadock generating complex.
• Barton Malow Company of Southfield has $162 million worth of contracts including building Cross Winds® Energy Park, now in operation.
• Ideal Contracting LLC of Detroit has $9.6 million worth of contracts including an Air Quality Control System project at the Karn/Weadock generating complex.
• CSM Group Inc. of Kalamazoo has $8 million worth of contracts including building the Jackson Innovation Center.
Consumers Energy officials said their Pure Michigan commitment is in addition to the more than $2 billion a year it spends in Michigan to improve customer service, upgrade electric and natural gas delivery, protect and improve Michigan’s natural environment, deliver energy efficiency programs and expand renewable energy sources.
As Michigan’s largest utility, Consumers Energy is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, providing natural gas and electricity to 6.6 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.
Source: MEDC