About Us

Bird Ladder Co was established in 1929 as a manufacturer of wood planks and ladders in Chicago Illinois. Charles Carlson purchased the business in 1954 and continued to manufacture wood products at our Chicago location until 1970. The rising costs of raw materials and liability insurance forced us to switch from manufacturing to distribution.

We chose to distribute Werner Ladders, who at the time, manufactured ladders nearby. In 1993 we were recognized by Werner ladder as a member of their 100 mile club, which is selling 528,000 feet of climbing products. Presently we are in the top 2% of Werners' Industrial distributors.

In 1975 we expanded from Illinois to Wisconsin, and presently have two separate corporations, Bird Ladder Co. in Illinois, and Bird Ladder and Equipment Co. Inc, in Milwaukee WI..

In 2000, Bird Ladder and Equipment Co. Inc, (Milwaukee) created the "Lifetime Ladder Program". There are three components to this program which are provided by Werner Ladder. The first is Safety Training, this is essential for anyone working with ladders. The second component is Ladder Inspection, we inspect all climbing equipment, identifying ladders in need or repair of destruction. The third component is the Ladder. We supply 375lb 1AA ladders that are custom made for us. This ladder is fully braced on both front steps and rear horizontal to provide additional stability and strength. Ladders purchased under this program will be repaired free of charge for the life of the ladder.

As of August 2014, the repair portion of this program will no longer be offered. This is because insurance companies believe that "repair work done on ladders, scaffolding and other safety equipment ... is an unacceptable operation" Though the parts are available from the manufacturer, Werner Ladder, along with very specific instructions on how to perform the installation of said parts, the insurance company believes we are not capable of performing this service.

Our experience in manufacturing has enabled us to be the North Central U.S. Authorized Repair Center for Werner Ladder. We are the only repair facility in the Midwest.

Over the last 69 years our product lines have grown significantly from ladders. Currently we provide products and services to ranging from abrasives to wall jacks. Please see our index for a complete list both by vendor and by product type.

We take great pride in our customer service and product knowledge. Bird Ladder & Equipment is your one stop shop for all of your needs. We will be able to answer any questions you may have, and can help you find what you are looking for.

Bird Ladder is still family owned and operated, and is proud to support our employees' families, providing health insurance and living wages. Charles Carlson (1929-2004) felt this was important when he ran this business, and we believe it is important today.