APHC, the Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors, has celebrated its 90th anniversary. Originally formed in 1925 as the National Federation of Plumbers and Domestic Engineers, the APHC represents the interest of members across England and Wales.
Over the past 90 years, the association has seen numerous developments within the industry and faced many challenges to trading conditions, including a World War and several recessions; however it has evolved to develop its role as the market has shifted and altered.
During this time the organisation’s name has altered to reflect shifting membership and advances in the way plumbing and heating have been incorporated into our homes. In 1965 the name was amended to add ‘Domestic Heating Engineers’ as central heating became more common, and changed again in 1972 to include heating and mechanical services contractors. In 1996 a rebranding process saw the current name of APHC introduced, and 10 years later the organisation was restructured to focus on a national level rather than the regional and local.
John Thompson, Chief Executive at APHC, comments: “The plumbing industry has changed at an amazing pace over the past 90 years – yet our objectives to represent the sector and raise standards remain at the heart of what we do today. What hasn’t altered is society’s dependence on clean water supplies and the need for reliable heat in our temperate climate.
“Advances in green technologies alone in the last ten years have had a massive impact on members, adapting and up-skilling to meet consumer demands, plus changes in government policy. Who knows what challenges our members will face in the next 90 years but we look forward to supporting businesses and the entire industry in the future.”
