In April 2020, the CIPHE and its members supported a UK plumbing and heating industry-wide survey managed by Eureka Research specifically looking at the impact of Covid-19 on the sector. Involving CIPHE Industrial Associate partners Bristan, Geberit, Installer, Salamander Pumps and Vaillant alongside other manufacturers and further industry representative bodies, APHC and HHIC, there was information within the results to give the whole industry and beyond cause for concern. Headlines included:
- CIPHE members remain engaged and engaging, contributing over 30% of the responses amongst 1,115 completed survey interviews
- The sector is currently operating at around just 13% of what would be considered a normal period for this time of year
- 97% of respondents said that the current situation was having a significant (or worse) impact on their business
- Almost three-quarters of respondents expected to be using the Government Job Retention Scheme
- At a time when so many businesses are facing such threats, it is almost unbelievable to see that 1 in 3 respondents named letting their customers down as one of their top three concerns
- Amongst the businesses still working, there has been a rapid and significant change in working practices. Selected changes include:
- 9 in 10 maintain 2-metre social distance from others
- 7 in 10 ensure property dwellers are in a different part of the building
- 6 in 10 now wearing gloves at all times when previously they did not
- 1 in 3 purchasing more products online
With many respondents citing immediate short-term issues around cash flow, being paid for work already done and having access to the materials required to do the job alongside longer term concerns around future trading conditions, it is clear that many in the industry feel that support is going to be required for some time yet.
The full survey results can be downloaded from COVID-19 Eureka Research Report.
For more information about the survey and other industry studies, visit the Eureka Research, website