Company fuels housing growth in Grafton

Diverse Energy Systems, a fast-growing oil service manufacturer in Grafton, N.D., on Monday showed off its latest innovation — a residential building renovation project designed to address a tight housing market.

City, regional and state leaders cut the ribbon on DiverCity, a transitional housing project for new employees until they can obtain permanent housing. The housing development consists of 10 duplex units, with one-, two- and three-bedroom units.

The complex is located on 3.5 acres of land on the north side of the city of 4,300. The buildings once served as housing for migrant farmworkers. However, the complex has been abandoned for about a decade and had fallen into disrepair.

Diverse, which was founded as Lean Technologies, had 25 employees in February, when it changed ownership and names. Employment has nearly tripled since then and is expected to grow to 115 by February and to about 150 by October 2013. Another plant in Berthold, N.D., has 10 employees.

Revenue for Lean Technologies was approximately $3 million a year; Diverse Energy Systems projects revenue to grow to $25 million over a 12-month period. The company produces 17,000-gallon steel tanks and other products for western North Dakota’s oil industry.

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