Robert Price MBE (pictured right), has been appointed as the new President for APHC. He used his inaugural speech at the Presidents’ 
Dinner at Hanbury Manor, on Saturday 15th June, to call for an end to the bureaucratic burden placed on plumbing and heating contractors by the plethora of Government Initiatives.
Robert, better known as Bob has devoted 40 years to the Association and has served in the wider plumbing industry for many years, said: “Over recent years we have seen the introduction of Government initiatives mainly in the form of new schemes that seek to eliminate the rogue trader from the market place. The management systems, processes and training requirements that these initiatives lay down are placing significant burden on the small to medium sized plumbing and heating contractors in particular. These developments are set against only limited promotion to the customer and a free market approach where enforcement of regulatory requirements is considered to be weak.
I would therefore like to call on our senior industry representatives present to work together to look at developing a more equitable solution for addressing the competency requirements of businesses and operatives in our industry. In doing so our aim should be to establish an environment in which businesses can profitably trade and customers can have assurance as to the quality of work carried out for them. I am greatly encouraged by the work undertaken by the various industry bodies in developing the WaterSafe Scheme and I believe that many of the scheme principles could be transferred to other areas of work falling under the scope of the plumbing & heating industry.”
Bob formed Great Yarmouth Heating Co Ltd in 1971. After establishing the company in the traditional domestic markets, Bob went on to design a system to provide suitable hot and cold water showers for the offshore living modules for workers on North Sea Gas rigs at a time when the technology was in its infancy. As Managing Director and Chairman he guided Great Yarmouth Heating to greater diversification and worked for hotels, holiday parks, local authorities, breweries, Government departments and building societies, as well as domestic clients. Bob sold Great Yarmouth Heating Co Ltd in 2008 but continued his commitment to APHC and the Industry. He was awarded an MBE in June 2009 for his services to the plumbing industry. He is a Deputy Chairman of the Norfolk Bench of Magistrates and passionate worker for local Charitable causes.
