A Kirkburton man has been appointed president for the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC).
Andrew Crookes (pictured), who runs Andrew Crookes Plumbing and Heating, was installed at the annual president’s dinner at Kenwood Hall Hotel, Sheffield.
Mr Crookes has been in the plumbing and heating industry since 1979 when he started his apprenticeship for J S and C W Crookes, a firm run by his parents in Huddersfield.
He trained at Percival Whitley College in Halifax, undertaking a four-year apprenticeship, and worked for his parents’ firm for 20 years before they retired in 1999.
He carried on the business, changing the name to Andrew Crookes Plumbing and Heating.
Mr Crookes highlighted the APHC’s initiatives to tackle rogue traders in the plumbing and heating industry, including lobbying government.
He said: “In the gas industry, there is clear evidence to indicate that approximately 50% of all gas work undertaken by illegal installers falls into the classification of being dangerous.
“As a result, we are working on an initiative with key members of the gas supply chain, including manufacturers and merchants, to place greater focus on clearly promoting the use of registered installers to the consumer. “
“He said: “We are also proposing to incentivise the use of registered installers by limiting manufacturer warranties on installation work undertaken by the non-registered.”
Mr Crookes attended meetings of Huddersfield Master Plumbers with his father. He later became president of the Huddersfield Master Plumbers, president of the North East region of APHC and in 2008 a director of APHC.
He said: “I am passionate about the plumbing industry, especially concerning the smaller businesses which I feel are put under too many onerous paper trails and directives from Government and Europe.
“I’m looking forward to my year in office and to meeting the many industry leaders in construction with whom I can debate solutions to achieving improved trading conditions for plumbing and heating businesses.”
In his leisure time, Andrew runs the under 15s team at Kirkburton Cricket Club and also supports the under 17s.
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