August 23, 1993. A raging four-alarm fire breaks out at the corporate headquarters of Riekes Equipment Company. The blaze, believed to be started by an “electrical abnormality”, ravaged the 70-year-old building and much of the inventory inside it.

Riekes owner, Duncan Murphy, was first made aware of the situation at 12:30AM. He immediately rushed down to site to find 13 fire trucks and their crews battling flames that stretched 20 feet into the night sky. The fire burned out of control until 5:30 that morning, with firefighters putting out hotspots well into the evening.

Looking at the devastation it would be easy to assume that all was lost, and indeed it almost was.

However, amidst the burned out forklift parts and the charred remains of the old building, the people of Riekes began to realize that the company was not destroyed. Sure, the fire had wiped out a majority of the company’s inventory, most of its computer and customer records, and left the building a crumbling ruin, but one thing remained: the people of Riekes Equipment and their dedication to customer satisfaction.

While the file still burned, the people of Riekes Equipment, led by owners Duncan Murphy and Tom Clark, sprung into action. Temporary offices were set up in the homes of employees, phone numbers were forwarded, computers were purchased and set up, inventories were replenished and customers were notified that despite the fire, it was business as usual.

The very next day, a temporary building was found and a leased was signed. Riekes had operated out of employee’s homes for two days and had effectively met the needs of its customers. In fact, the people of Riekes received a great deal of praise from customers impressed with how the situation was handled.

Total damage was well over the one million dollar mark. Quick action by the people of Riekes Equipment prevented the company from losing any business during the downtime, thus sparing the company from any further loss. That same quick action allowed Riekes Equipment Company to continue to meet the needs of its customers.

Today, many of the same employees who helped get the company through that difficult chapter still work at Riekes Equipment Company. Their leadership and hard work during that trying time is the epitome of the Riekes Distinction: Dedicated to Customer Satisfaction.