CYMCA

What CYMCA does

CPMCA (California Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association) is a private nonprofit trade association founded in 1996 and headquartered in Tustin, California. It functions as a regional chapter of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) and is described as one of the largest MCAA chapters in the country. CPMCA represents union mechanical, plumbing, and piping contractors in Southern California, providing advocacy, education and training, labor relations support, and networking opportunities to a membership base of more than 100 businesses. The association operates ten training center locations across Southern California in partnership with the A&J Training Centers (Apprentice & Journeymen Training Trust Fund), a dedicated administrative/training office in Van Nuys, and a newer training center in downtown Los Angeles. Education programming includes project management, job supervision, construction law, job safety, and apprenticeship curricula, supplemented by online safety training through ClickSafety and member-only Pipeline Magazine content.

CPMCA is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors drawn from member contractors (current Board President Steve Fosdick, Project Executive at Murray Company, succeeded Jay Chase of Muir-Chase Plumbing) and is led day-to-day by Executive Director Chip Martin, with a staff of 1-10. The association maintains close institutional ties to union labor partners, particularly the Southern California Pipe Trades District Council 16, and facilitates labor-management cooperation through a Joint Labor Management Committee and ten standing industry committees. Membership is structured in three tiers: Contractor Members (mechanical, plumbing, and piping contractors, who receive MCAA national membership included), Associate Members (manufacturers, reps, wholesalers, vendors, service providers, and consultants at $500/year), and Affiliate Members (corporations and firms not qualifying for contractor membership, at $500/year). Revenue is derived from annual membership dues, event sponsorships (including an annual scholarship golf tournament drawing 180+ golfers), training program fees, and directory advertising — pricing for contractor membership dues is not publicly disclosed.

CPMCA distributes services through a website membership portal (cpmca.org), event-based enrollment, the regional A&J Training Center network, publicly searchable member directories, and active social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn). Strategic partnerships include MCAA, the A&J Training Trust Fund, Cal Poly Pomona (student chapter development), Watts Water Technologies, Ferguson Mechanical Solutions, and ClickSafety. The association engages in policy advocacy at the state and international levels, including participation in a bipartisan delegation to Japan via the California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy focused on climate change, renewable energy, and high-speed rail.

Name

CYMCA

Legal name

California Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association

Website

https://cpmca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CPMCA is a Southern California nonprofit trade association and one of the largest MCAA chapters, providing advocacy, training, and labor relations support to union mechanical, plumbing, and piping contractors across more than 100 member businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tustin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: CPMCA generates revenue primarily through annual membership dues from contractor members, associate members (manufacturers, representatives, wholesalers, vendors, service providers, consultants), and affiliate members. Associate and affiliate dues are $500 per calendar year. The association also facilitates connections between members and provides exclusive advertising and directory listing opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CPMCA is a nonprofit trade association that provides education, training, advocacy, and member services for union mechanical, plumbing, and piping contracting companies in Southern California. It operates three membership tiers (Contractor, Associate, and Affiliate) and delivers programs through A&J Training Centers, the Pipeline Magazine publication, and a Joint Labor Management Committee in coordination with the national Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA).

Product overview

CPMCA (California Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association) is a membership-based industry association serving union mechanical contractors in Southern California. The organization provides advocacy, education and training programs, labor relations support, and networking opportunities for members. The association offers various membership types including Contractor, Associate, and Affiliate memberships. Educational offerings include training programs, seminars in project management, job supervision, construction law, and job safety. The organization also provides career development resources through A&J Training Centers located across Southern California and publishes the Pipeline Magazine newsletter for members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Contractor Membership
• Associate Membership
• Affiliate Membership
• A&J Training Center Education Programs
• Pipeline Magazine
• Industry Advocacy and Public Policy Representation
• Career Development Scholarship Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero recordable incidents achieved by member companies over extended periods (e.g., Schultz: 1 million work hours over 5 years)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy (CFEE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2022CFEE is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)3 nonprofit that has convened state leaders for over four decades to examine critical issues related to California's environment. CPMCA Executive Director Chip Martin participated in a bi-partisan delegation to Japan studying climate change policies. The study tour built on the Memorandum of Cooperation between California Governor Gavin Newsom and Japan, focusing on climate change, renewable energy, and high speed rail.
• Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPMCA is a chapter of MCAA, which serves approximately 2,500 firms involved in heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, plumbing, piping, and mechanical service. CPMCA contractor membership includes paid MCAA membership dues, providing access to high-quality educational materials and programs. MCAA includes the Mechanical Service Contractors of America, the Plumbing Contractors of America, the Manufacturer/Supplier Council, the Mechanical Contracting Education and Research Foundation, and the National Certified Pipe Welding Bureau.
• Ferguson Mechanical SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPMCA partnered with Ferguson Mechanical Solutions to host Lunch and Learn events on workforce topics including labor costs and converting business risks to advantages.
• Weil AquatronicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPMCA partnered with Weil Aquatronics for Lunch and Learn events on workforce topics including labor costs.
• A&J Training Centers (Apprentice & Journeymen Training Trust Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Apprentice & Journeymen Training Trust Fund trains apprentices and journeymen of the Southern California plumbing and piping industry. CPMCA offers training programs at A&J Training Centers across Southern California including Bakersfield, Colton, Compton, Gardena, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura locations.
• Southern California Pipe Trades District Council 16coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPMCA maintains strong relationships and cooperation with union labor partners. District Council 16 represents pipe trades workers, and CPMCA leadership (including Executive Director Chip Martin) participates in joint labor-management initiatives. Business Manager Rodney Cobos was featured in member communications.
• California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly Pomona)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPMCA hosts Student Chapter Mixer events at Cal Poly Pomona, attracting around 80 students to learn about career opportunities in plumbing and mechanical contracting. CPMCA also held a networking event at Cal Poly Pomona in October 2024.
• Watts Water TechnologiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatts Water Technologies representative Jim Lugo led an Automatic Control Valve Product Application and Repair training session at the A&J Training Center in San Diego in January 2024.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Subcontractors Association (ASA): National trade association specifically for subcontractors in the construction industry, providing advocacy, education, and networking. Comparable to CPMCA in serving specialty trade contractors with a similar dues-based membership and event-driven engagement model.
• National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA): National trade association for electrical contractors, including union signatory firms. Operates a parallel chapter/affiliate structure with advocacy, training, and labor-management cooperation, making it a close peer in mission and operating model to CPMCA.
• Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC): National trade association for plumbing and HVAC contractors providing education, advocacy, and code/standards work. Highly comparable to CPMCA in mission and member services, with overlapping contractor audiences in mechanical and plumbing trades.
• SMACNA (Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association): National trade association for union sheet metal and HVAC contractors, providing labor relations, education, and technical standards. Comparable to CPMCA in representing unionized specialty mechanical contractors with a strong apprenticeship and training focus.
• Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA): National trade association that CPMCA is a chapter of, serving approximately 2,500 mechanical contracting firms. Directly comparable as it provides the same education, advocacy, and labor-relations framework at a national level, and CPMCA contractor members receive MCAA membership as part of dues.

Emerging players

• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE): Global professional society for HVAC&R practitioners that develops standards and provides continuing education. Comparable to CPMCA as it serves overlapping audiences in the mechanical and HVAC trades with educational programming, though it operates as a professional society rather than a contractor trade association.
• National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER): National nonprofit providing standardized craft training, certification, and curriculum for the construction industry. Comparable to CPMCA's apprenticeship and training mission through A&J Training Centers, but operating nationally with open-shop as well as union-aligned programs.

Broad incumbents

• Associated General Contractors of California (AGC of California): California state chapter of the AGC network representing general contractors and specialty subcontractors on policy, labor, and safety. Comparable to CPMCA as a California-based construction industry association with overlapping advocacy and training functions, but with a broader membership scope.
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC): Largest national trade association for the commercial construction industry, primarily representing open-shop (non-union) contractors. Comparable as a peer industry association serving mechanical and specialty contractors, but competing philosophically with CPMCA's union-only focus.

Others

• Southern California Pipe Trades District Council 16: Regional labor union council representing UA local unions in Southern California. A direct counterpart to CPMCA on the labor side of the labor-management relationship that CPMCA exists to coordinate, making it the most structurally adjacent peer in CPMCA's ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cpmcassoc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cpmca
• Instagraminstagram.com/cpmcassoc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CYMCA