DAY 2 12 ISPAMERICA SHOW I MARCH 2 – 5, 2026 www.bekabusinessmedia.com PLP Partners with FulcrumAir to Develop Robotic Installation System for Power Lines PLP, a leader in engineered solutions for energy, communications, and other critical infrastructure, and FulcrumAir, a pioneer in robotic technologies for the electric power industry, announced a new multi-year strategic partnership to co-develop next-generation robotic installation systems. These advanced solutions are designed to transform overhead power line construction. Building on a series of successful innovations jointly developed by the two companies – including the LineSpider robot for installing PLP CUSHION-GRIP Twin Spacers and the LineFly family of robotic systems for deploying both CUSHIONGRIP Twin Spacers and PLP BIRD-FLIGHT Diverters – this expanded collaboration underscores their shared commitment to accelerating technology development and shaping the future of utility infrastructure. “For nearly 80 years, PLP has been at the forefront of product and process innovation for the electric power industry. This expanded partnership with FulcrumAir reinforces our long-standing commitment to providing utilities with the world’s most advanced solutions built to the highest quality standards,” said Ryan Ruhlman, president of PLP. “By integrating robotics into installation processes and reimagining product design for automated deployment, we aim to enhance safety and efficiency across the industry while also creating new opportunities for PLP’s strategic growth and market leadership.” Together, PLP and FulcrumAir will focus on developing robotic systems designed to increase installation efficiency and reduce project timelines, improve safety by reducing lineworker exposure to hazardous environments, deliver greater precision and consistency in hardware placement and quality control, and enable new revenue opportunities and reinforce both companies’ leadership positions. “Robotics is redefining what’s achievable in power line construction, and our collaboration with PLP accelerates that transformation,” said Patrick Arnell, president & CEO of FulcrumAir. “Elevating worker safety, expanding workforce capabilities, and enabling utilities to adapt faster – that is how we build a more resilient, efficient grid of the future.” As utilities increasingly turn to automation to meet rising infrastructure demands, the PLP and FulcrumAir partnership positions both companies at the forefront of this shift. With new systems already in development, the collaboration will help lead the next decade of grid expansion, infrastructure modernization, and technological innovation. J Visit PLP at ISPAMERICA 2026 booth 233. Helexon, projected to become one of the nation’s largest BEAD grant recipients, selects the Calix One platform—including Calix Agent Workforce Cloud and Calix SmartLife—to accelerate rapid expansion of next-generation fiber experiences across residential, business, and community markets Calix, Inc. recently announced that Helexon, which is projected to become one of the nation’s largest BEAD grant recipients, has selected Calix to support one of the largest rural broadband buildouts underway in the United States. The multi-year deployment is expected to deliver thousands of miles of fiber across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan. This expansion will be supported by funding from the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Executing a buildout of this scale requires more than network infrastructure – it demands a unified platform that can accelerate deployment, streamline operations, and deliver consistent experiences as new markets come online, explained Calix executives. To meet that challenge, Helexon selected the Calix One platform as the foundation for their expansion. Calix One unifies subscriber experiences, operational intelligence, and team workflows into a single integrated, AI-native platform. This approach enables communication experience providers (CXPs) to personalize service at scale while improving network performance and streamlining operations – helping drive growth through differentiated experiences and lower cost-to-serve through greater efficiency and productivity. Calix One brings together the newly launched Calix Agent Workforce Cloud, XGS-PON infrastructure, SmartLife managed services, and Wi-Fi 7 appliances to help providers scale efficiently while delivering experience-driven services. With Calix Agent Workforce Cloud, Helexon will automate workflows, gain real-time visibility into subscriber health, and apply AI-driven insights to improve service delivery as they expand into new territories. Helexon also will evolve SmartHome offerings among their seven CXPs, and leverage SmartMDU, SmartBiz, and SmartTown to extend connectivity beyond residential markets into multidwelling units (MDUs), small businesses, and community environments. “Fiber is foundational to opportunity in rural America, from education and healthcare to economic development. We chose Calix because their platform brings together the network, cloud, and intelligent services in a way that supports both rapid expansion and long-term operational excellence,” said Domenico Fornaro, co-CEO at Helexon “This partnership gives us the scale, insight, and flexibility we need to serve communities across the Midwest.” J Visit Calix at ISPAMERICA 2026 booth 318. Top BEAD Recipient Chooses Calix One Platform FulcrumAir’s LineFly robotic system installing PLP BIRD-FLIGHT Diverters on overhead lines.
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