The COLE Publishing Story

From our home in Wisconsin's Northwoods, COLE Publishing creates five highly focused trade publications with a record for delivering valuable information to readers and exceptional results to advertisers.

COLE Publishing was established in 1979 when Bob Kendall and Pete Lawonn saw a need for a way to help people in the septic system service industry share information for mutual benefit. Today, our five publications serve some 90,000 readers in distinct but closely related markets.

We also sponsor the annual Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International, which each year attracts more than 12,000 visitors from more than 50 countries. Since the first Expo in 1980, the show has grown to become the largest annual event of its kind in the world, averaging over 450,000 square feet of exhibit space and a full schedule of industry-specific seminars.

At the heart of COLE Publishing is a small-town way of doing business, built on three simple principles: treat everyone fairly, provide extraordinary personal service, and constantly strive for improvement.

Every one of our people understands the varied needs of our customers – readers and advertisers alike. Call during the business day and you’ll get a friendly, enthusiastic greeting from a person eager to help you. It is the same kind of greeting you would have received 24 years ago from Bob Kendall and Pete Lawonn when they were the only ones answering the phone.

We hope these pages help you get to know us a little better.
We look forward to serving you.