The phoenix of mythology has nothing on the staff at JW Burress’ Winston-Salem location anymore.

The victim of a Feb. 28, 2006, fire, the dealership emerged from the ashes March 22 after a year of less-than-optimal working conditions.

The new 22,000-sq.-ft. facility has four drive-through bays (for eight work areas), a wash way and a 10-ton (9 t) overhead crane. It boasts a bigger parts department with two floors and administrative offices.

Senior Vice President Rick Graves said the entire staff toughed it out over the past year with nary a complaint. And that’s even with the technicians working outside in extreme heat over the summer.

“We’re lucky to have them,” Graves said.

JW Burress customer G.L. Wilson Building Co. in Statesville, N.C., built the new location. In order to do so, the contractor purchased a new Hitachi 160 excavator from the dealership. It had plenty of other Burress machines at the site, including Grove cranes and Vibromax compaction equipment.

Graves said the staff is enjoying the extra elbow-room and should thrive in the brand-new building. They plan to show off the facility to their customers in late spring at an open house.

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