PHCPPros, a trusted name with more than 30 years of experience covering the plumbing, heating, cooling and piping industry, is proud to announce the first group of 2026 sponsors for its RUGGED Mind and Body initiative.

At the highest level of sponsorship, Cintas and Watts Water Technologies, along with Watts brands AERCO International and Bradley Corp., return as Vanguard Sponsors. 

F.W. Webb Co., Legend Valve, and U.S. Boiler Co. also return as Guardian Sponsors, with new additions Liberty Pumps and Matco-Norca signing on for the same tier of sponsorship.

“As our new initiative celebrates its first anniversary, we are incredibly excited that the majority of our preliminary sponsors have decided to join RUGGED Mind and Body for another year,” said PHCPPros Principal Cate Brown. “We feel their ongoing support illustrates that RUGGED is a trusted partner meeting our promised, actionable goals to create, educate and advocate.

“We are thrilled to welcome Liberty Pumps and Matco-Norca on board as well,” Brown continued. “It is wonderful to work with companies that share our mission to promote mental health and wellness for the trades, and we greatly value their partnership.” 

The more sponsors RUGGED is able to work with, the more tradespeople it will be able to reach to achieve this mission. The initiative has already illustrated tremendous growth during its first year, especially through its RUGGED Road Shows. Each of the three events drew more attendees than the last, and one-on-one conversations with attendees made it clear that RUGGED is resonating with our industry and helping to normalize discussions around mental health and wellness. 

"I went into the event thinking I was just going to have fun with coworkers at Topgolf and possibly get a little knowledge on work-life balance," said Notturno Home Services' Laura Leary after attending the latest RUGGED Road Show in Boston. "The event ended up being super insightful, and it really made me take a look at the way I operate my department, work with my staff, and reset the boundaries I've let go in my own work-life balance."

In addition to helping RUGGED host events around the country and publish its quarterly print publication, sponsor funds will support RUGGED Mind and Body as it continues to help tradespeople lead healthier, happier lives with additional resources. New for 2026, RUGGED plans to launch a digital toolkit with various educational materials focused on mental health and wellness. Additionally, a portion of RUGGED sponsorship money will be donated to a 2026 Bring Back the Trades Scholarship, which supports tradespeople by lessening the financial burden and stress of pursuing a career in the skilled trades. 

Those interested in joining these companies as a 2026 RUGGED sponsor should email Digital Strategy and Business Development Manager Nicole Meyer at [email protected] immediately to secure their slot before the end of the year.