The 2026 iP Utility Safety Conference & Expo in Orlando provided TELESTEPS® with an opportunity to put its professional telescoping ladder technology directly into the hands of utility safety and operations professionals.

What stood out most during the event was the level of hands-on engagement at the TELESTEPS booth. Attendees didn't simply look at the ladders — they lifted them, opened and closed them, examined the telescoping systems and discussed how the compact designs could fit into real-world utility operations.

“The reaction started with the Kevlar® rails. Then people lifted the ladders. Then the operational conversations began.”

Those conversations quickly moved beyond the ladder itself. Utility professionals discussed the potential advantages of compact telescoping equipment for service vehicles, confined-space access, underground vaults, substations, equipment rooms and other locations where transporting and maneuvering a conventional full-size ladder can be challenging.

Particular interest centered on TELESTEPS® professional ladders engineered with DuPont™ Kevlar® reinforced composite rails, combining compact telescoping technology with non-conductive composite construction for professional environments where electrical exposure is a consideration.

TELESTEPS® offers the Kevlar® platform in both telescoping extension and A-Frame configurations, giving utility and electrical professionals alternatives to traditional full-size access equipment while maintaining professional-duty reach and load ratings.

For TELESTEPS®, the conference also reinforced the importance of getting professional users physically involved with the product. The difference between a conventional ladder and a telescoping ladder becomes much more apparent when an attendee can experience the collapsed size, carry the ladder and then see it deploy to full working height.

The feedback and conversations generated in Orlando are helping TELESTEPS® continue its outreach to utilities, electrical contractors and industrial organizations across North America, including opportunities for field evaluations in real working environments.

“For us, the most valuable part of the conference was seeing utility professionals immediately begin thinking about where these ladders could solve problems in their own operations. Once someone picks up a telescoping ladder and sees how small it becomes for transportation and storage, the conversation changes very quickly.”

— Gary Percy, Director of Business Development, TELESTEPS®

The Orlando event was part of TELESTEPS®' continued focus on working directly with professional end users to understand how compact access equipment can address transportation, storage and jobsite challenges across the utility and industrial sectors.