Consumers Energy to Spend $250 Million With Michigan Small Businesses

DETROIT, Oct. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy announced today that it will spend $250 million with small businesses in Michigan over the next two and a half years.

The spending commitment is part of the company's involvement in the Pure Michigan Business Connect (PMBC) initiative. In 2015, Consumers Energy pledged to spend $1 billion a year with Michigan businesses for five years. The company has exceeded that goal, spending $2.9 billion with Michigan businesses since June 2015.

The commitment to spend $250 million with small businesses was announced today at an event in Detroit hosted by Pure Michigan Business Connect and the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM).

"Small businesses are the engine that fuels our economy," said Dan Malone, Consumers Energy's senior vice president of engineering. "And by purchasing their goods and services we can meet our procurement needs while supporting the growth of Michigan small businesses, that's a win for us and the state."

Shelving Inc., a family-owned business based in Auburn Hills, is one small business that has benefitted from its involvement with PMBC, according to one of its owners. Consumers Energy has spent nearly $700,000 with the business to help with indoor storage of material and wire reels.

"We needed a bigger building to keep up with our rising demand. Without Consumers Energy's business with our company, this wouldn't be possible," said Jim Aiello, who owns the business with brothers in law John, Mike and Joe Schodowski.

"Consumers Energy has been tremendous to work with. They have been a vital resource for us during the last couple of years. We appreciate their business and look forward to working with them in the near future."

Since June 2015, Consumers Energy has spent $411 million with businesses in Oakland County. The energy provider has also spent about $215 million in Wayne County and about $154 million in Washtenaw County and $75 million in Macomb County.

"This PMBC spending has created real projects, real jobs and made a real difference for Michigan," Malone said.

Consumers Energy was one of the founding members of PMBC. The public-private alliance of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., state agencies and major Michigan employers works to connect in-state companies to business resources.

Consumers Energy also actively encourages its Michigan-based suppliers to use sub-contractors and suppliers based in the state through its "Pay It Forward" program to stimulate more economic growth.

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.7 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com.

Media toolkit

LEARN MORE: Learn about Consumers Energy's commitment to Michigan businesses: www.ConsumersEnergy.com/puremichigan 

PMBC: Learn more about Pure Michigan Business Connect: www.michiganbusiness.org/grow/pure-michigan-business-connect/

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SOURCE Consumers Energy