History

Since the turn of the century, the Doetsch name and reputation have been synonymous with high quality, professional industrial inspection and cleaning services. Oil spills, hazardous waste, solid waste and sewer line backups are formidable clean-up jobs tackled on a daily basis by Doetsch Environmental Services, a 122-year-old environmental contractor, based in Warren, Michigan.  Doetsch Environmental Services offers professional cleaning services of wet and dry materials, located above or below ground, to municipalities, manufacturing facilities, power plants, foundries, chemical plants and refineries.

This diverse range of application is a result of providing dependable, high-quality cleaning services year after year. "When you put your family name on the line every day for 100 years, there's no other way to do a job than the right way," said Frank Doetsch, before his passing in 2009.

The Doetsch name has been part of the firm's identity since Frank's grandfather started the company in 1898. The identity, which we now refer to as cleaning sewers the old-fashioned way - was a shovel and bucket.  Today, Frank’s daughter is the senior family member in the business.  Diann is advised by her sons Joe and Sean.  Joe and Sean represent the fifth generation of the Doetsch family who are involved in the company's daily operations.

Years before jet vac units were available - back when cleaning a sewer line meant sending a worker down a manhole with a bucket - Doetsch Bros, as it was known back then, was always looking for a more efficient way to get the job done. In the late 20's, Doetsch Bros first revolutionized Michigan's sewer cleaning industry by introducing the electric sewer machine. As jobs became more demanding, Doetsch automated its sewer cleaning system by attaching a bucket to a cable and anchoring it in the manhole, automating the pickup and removal of debris. This new system significantly increased the amount of debris removed from a line and perhaps most importantly, eliminated the need for crews to go down into the manhole.

In the 1970s, Frank Doetsch introduced to Michigan hydraulic sewer cleaning by the use of their combination machines, under a different name, Doetsch Industrial Services. The technology dramatically elevated sewer cleaning to a new level and made cleaning sewers efficient, fast and safe. Doetsch Industrial quickly identified many other applications for jet/vac technology and began expanding its services to industrial applications that could benefit from high water pressure and vacuum.

Doetsch has always been the first contractor in its market to offer customers the latest innovations and technologies. Today, the company offers the industry's most up-to-date technology to customers who need everything from traditional line cleaning services to "pot holing" services required by utility customers to locate buried utility lines to large diameter sewer cleaning.  As the services have evolved over the past 10 years, so has the name.  Today, Doetsch Industrial Services goes by the name of Doetsch Environmental Services.

The company's record of providing 122 years of quality service to its customers would not have been possible without the reliable equipment it uses to successfully complete each job. Doetsch Environmental's fleet of workhorses includes Vacuum Loaders, combination Sewer Jets, Liquid Haulers, High-Pressure Water Equipment and Large Diameter Sewer Equipment designed and constructed by Joe Schotthoefer.

With crew members and field supervisors on call every day and night, customer assistance is just a phone call away. To ensure quality work and 100% customer satisfaction, field supervisors routinely monitor and evaluate work completed by crew members.

Looking back over the past 122 years, Frank Doetsch's grandfather would undoubtedly be overwhelmed at his company's success. With the fifth generation in line, one can only imagine what the next 100 years will be like.