Taking over a one-time manufactured housing plant in Johnstown, Colorado, PTI Group has converted the 113,000 square-foot facility to constructing modular workforce housing for the oil, gas and mining industries in Canada. Based in Alberta, Canada, PTI scouted 78 cities before choosing the Denver area because of the availability of skilled and technical labor that lost their jobs during the recession. As greeleytribune.com informs MHProNews.com, although their original intention was to hire 250 workers within five years, they already employ 353 after 18 months. An affiliate of Oil States International, PTI is planning a 5,000 worker facility for the $13 billion SunCor Fort Hills Project, and workforce accommodations for 2,000 at the Kitimat Liquified Natural Gas plant in British Columbia. Among other projects, PTI provided housing for the Vancouver Olympics.

(Photo credit: Josh Polson/greeleytribune.com–Thomasine Azure works on modular unit at Johnstown plant.)