Detroit-based DTE Energy announced it invested $2.2 billion with Michigan businesses in 2020, creating and sustaining more than 10,400 jobs across the state and exceeding its annual commitment by $200 million.
Since 2010, the company has invested $13.7 billion with Michigan-based vendors, creating and sustaining 44,000 Michigan jobs. The company says it invests nearly five times more with local businesses than it did a decade ago.
“Doing business in the communities we serve helps Michigan companies grow and puts more people to work in the process,” says Tony Tomczak, vice president and chief procurement officer. “We have an unwavering commitment to improve the state’s economy. This is even more important during the pandemic; it drove us to deepen our support in 2020.”
During the initial pandemic response in 2020, the company invested $16 million in personal protective equipment like masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer, with 92 percent of the funds going to local businesses.
The amount of money invested, number of companies, and number of jobs DTE supported from each region of Michigan are as follows:
- Southeast Michigan/metro Detroit – $1.7 billion in goods and services, 1,152 companies, more than 7,770 jobs; $969 million of this went to Detroit companies
- West Michigan – $75 million, more than 190 companies, nearly 350 jobs
- Northeast and northwest Michigan – $67 million, nearly 150 companies, about 300 jobs
- South Michigan – $274 million, more than 350 companies, about 1,260 jobs
- Central Michigan – $46 million, 95 companies, 210 jobs
- Thumb region – $100 million, nearly 140 companies, 465 jobs
- Upper Peninsula – $10 million, 40 businesses, nearly 50 jobs
DTE is a founding member of Pure Michigan Business Connect, a public-private initiative that encourages businesses to buy from Michigan vendors and connects local companies with in-state opportunities. DTE requires that all new contract bids include at least two Michigan companies.
At the beginning of the pandemic, DTE worked with Choctaw-Kaul Distribution Co., a Detroit-based, minority-owned DTE supplier of industrial safety equipment and hand and power tools. The company helped DTE procure millions of kn95 masks that the DTE Foundation donated to local hospitals, businesses, and first responders.
Choctaw-Kaul is among a growing list of DTE suppliers owned by women, minorities, veterans, and members of the LGBT community. In 2020, DTE invested $744 million with diverse suppliers and increased its annual commitment to partner with diverse businesses. New targets include a $500 million-$1 billion increase in diverse spending, and an aspirational goal of $1 billion in annual investments in diverse businesses by 2026.
“We believe we’re at our best when our suppliers reflect the diversity of our customer base,” Tomczak says. “That’s why we seek out small and medium businesses and connect them with new growth opportunities. We’ve replicated this success over and over again to generate thousands of jobs across our state.”
More information on DTE’s bid opportunites is available here.
DTE’s electric company serves 2.2 million customers in southeast Michigan, and its natural gas company serves 1.3 million customers in Michigan. It plans to reduce carbon dioxide and methane emission by more than 80 percent by 2040 and achieve net zero carbon and greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
