Leroy Strode, Pro-Flo Plumbing

“It was like an aquarium. I had to pull everything out, dry it by hand, CRC them all back to life…”

For plumbers, the vehicle isn’t just to get you from A to B. It’s the workshop, the tool shed, and often the backbone of the business. A well-designed plumbing ute canopy setup can be the difference between wasted time and a job running smoothly.

Leroy Strode from ProFlo Plumbing in the Bay of Plenty learned that the hard way. One morning, after some light rain, he opened his canopy and found his toolboxes completely flooded.

Running his own business, it wasn’t just inconvenient, it was a sign the setup he was relying on wasn’t up to the job.

From Setup to Setup

Like many tradies, Leroy’s vehicle setup had evolved over time.

A hard lid first, which provided security but limited how much equipment he could carry. After that came a fibreglass canopy with glass windows which introduced a new problem:

"We run about $10,000 worth of gear roughly in the vehicle at any time, so people can see what's in there, the wrong people, they may want to take it. So out of sight out of mind."

The imported flat-pack aluminium canopy seemed like the answer. Opaque, lockable, more storage. But within a few months, the hardware was rusting, the latches were seizing, and water was tracking straight through the door channels into his toolboxes.

"Metal tools, water, doesn't mix...as a plumber, our vehicle is our office, it's our workshop, it's everything.”

With thousands of dollars of tools sitting in the back, issues like that start to affect how the business runs.

Why a Ute Still Made the Most Sense

Despite the issues with his canopy setups, Leroy never considered switching to a van.

His work regularly involves towing mini diggers between job sites, as well as getting onto properties where muddy conditions can quickly stop a van.

“I decided to go with the ute for its towing capacity. With vans, you’re not supposed to tow around mini diggers and that’s one of the main things we do is using mini diggers on site and getting it from site to site. So a ute definitely is the way to go for that.”

The ute itself wasn’t the problem. The challenge was finding a canopy setup that could keep up with the way he worked.

Built Around How A Plumber Works

After the flood, Leroy started looking for something built for real trade work. He had noticed Utemaster canopies on other vehicles for a while, and after about four weeks of research his mind was made up.

What stood out to him were the fundamentals.

"The access, the strength, the load capacity up on the roof was higher, so I can carry more pipe, I can carry more gear, and easier access."

Leroy got in touch with the Utemaster team and explained how he worked day to day. Together they built a setup designed specifically for plumbing work rather than simply installing a standard canopy.

Alongside the Centurion Canopy Leroy opted for a cantilever rack to carry pipe and ladders. During the conversation he mentioned that he regularly carries five metre lengths of copper and gas pipe. Most plumbers rely on standard PVC conduit tubes, but these often sag under load, and warp in the heat.

The team offered to custom-manufacture a 5.1m aluminium conduit carrier to suit his needs. Mounted on an outrigger kit, the carrier clears the gullwing doors when they open and makes loading pipe quick and easy. It is now a solution commonly used by Utemaster customers.

Security was the other non-negotiable.

"Our livelihood sits in the back of these vehicles. So if I get my things stolen, that means I can't get to the job, I can't do work, I can't bring money in."

With the Centurion canopy integrated into the vehicle’s central locking system, Leroy can now secure everything in the back with the push of a button. With Bandit-Proof locking and no exposed key barrels, it's a clear step up from the manual locks and unreliable hardware he had dealt with before.

A Mobile Workshop

Inside the canopy, Leroy now runs a fully organised racking system that keeps everything accessible.

Hanging shelves run the full depth of the canopy on both sides and house water fittings, gas fittings, brass, copper, power tools, drainage rods, screw boxes. Everything visible and within reach.

"I can just walk into here, grab what I need and then shoot off onto site."

The layout means less time searching for tools and more time getting the job done.

A Setup That Reflects the Business

The benefits are not only practical. They are visible the moment Leroy arrives on site.

Even Leroy's signwriter commented.

"My sign writer said to me these are his favourite canopies to do because there's no rivets, there's no folds, no creases.”

Because presentation matters.

When you turn up to a job, your setup says a lot about how you work."

The Bonus Nobody Talks About

One of the unexpected benefits of the new setup was something simple. Space.

Before upgrading, Leroy often had to store fittings and equipment in the cab because the canopy couldn’t hold everything.

Now that everything has its place, the back seat is finally free again.

“So if I want to take my kids out, I can.”

Do It Once, Do It Right

Starting ProFlo Plumbing & Drainage meant backing himself. Leroy left a management role, moved to the Bay of Plenty and built a business from the ground up.

A simple philosophy.

"do it once, do it right from the beginning”.

This is Doing More of What Matters. 

@profloplumbing

IT'S YOUR TURN TO BUILD WHAT MATTERS

Getting your ute setup right can make a huge difference to how you work every day.

As Leroy discovered, the right canopy and storage setup does more than organise your gear. It protects your tools, saves time on site, and helps you show up ready for the job.

If you're ready to build a setup that works as hard as you do, explore the Utemaster Centurion Canopy and accessories below.

Centurion Canopy

Accessories