COLE Publishing

What COLE Publishing does

COLE Publishing, Inc. is a privately held trade and consumer publishing company founded in 1979 and headquartered in Three Lakes, Wisconsin, with additional offices in Eagle River (WI), Minnesota, and Alabama. The company operates a portfolio of approximately 18 print and digital magazine titles plus proprietary trade shows, organized into two distinct verticals: water and wastewater infrastructure (Cleaner, Dig Different, Municipal Sewer & Water, Onsite Installer, Plumber, Portable Restroom Operator, Pumper, Pumper E-Trader, and Treatment Plant Operator) and outdoor/enthusiast markets (Archery Business, Bike EXIF, Bowhunting World, Grand View Outdoors, Hunting Retailer, Predator Xtreme, Rare Car Network, Shooting Sports Retailer, and Tactical Retailer). COLE also wholly owns the Grand View Outdoors subsidiary and publishes a regional title, Midwest Pumper.

The underlying technology consists of a publishing and content management platform serving digital magazine editions, e-newsletters, and dedicated publication websites, with no disclosed AI or proprietary machine learning components. Content is produced by an in-house editorial team organized by title, supported by in-house graphic designers, web developers, and a digital media function. The business reaches approximately 500,000 readers across North America and supports multi-channel distribution through print subscriptions, digital subscriptions, email newsletters, social media, and in-person trade shows.

The company monetizes through two primary revenue streams: recurring print and digital magazine subscriptions (annual billing cadence) and B2B advertising sales within publications and e-newsletters, supported by a dedicated advertising sales team. Go-to-market is sales-led, acquiring subscribers through trade show presence, internet search, word-of-mouth referrals, SRDS listings, and newsletter signups. Pricing and rate-card details are not publicly disclosed; media kits are available on request. The company remains founder-influenced, with co-founder Bob Kendall still active as Owner alongside President Jeff Bruss and Grand View Outdoors President/Publisher Derrick Nawrocki.

Name

COLE Publishing

Legal name

COLE Publishing, Inc.

Website

https://colepublishing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

COLE Publishing is a privately held B2B trade and enthusiast publisher operating approximately 18 print and digital magazines plus trade shows, serving roughly 500,000 readers across North American water/wastewater infrastructure and outdoor/hunting verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines (MPAJAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Subscription & Fulfillment Services (Print & Digital) (MPAJAKAB), Specialty & Niche Channel Distribution (Religious, Comic Shops, Specialty Retail) (MPAJAKAH)

Keywords

• Trade magazine publishing
• Wastewater industry media
• Outdoor enthusiast publications
• Advertising media services
• Print digital subscriptions

Headquarters

HQ city

Three Lakes

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Print and digital magazine subscriptions across water/wastewater and outdoor/enthusiast titles. Subscribers can sign up for print editions or email newsletters for each publication.
2. Advertising: Advertising sales within publications, including sponsored content opportunities and e-newsletter advertisements. The company maintains an advertising sales team across all titles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

COLE Publishing is a niche trade and consumer magazine publisher producing approximately 18 print and digital magazine titles, related email newsletters, and trade shows across two core verticals: water/wastewater infrastructure (Cleaner, Dig Different, Municipal Sewer & Water, Onsite Installer, Plumber, Portable Restroom Operator, Pumper, Pumper E-Trader, Treatment Plant Operator) and outdoor/enthusiast (Archery Business, Bike EXIF, Bowhunting World, Grand View Outdoors, Hunting Retailer, Predator Xtreme, Rare Car Network, Shooting Sports Retailer, Tactical Retailer). The company monetizes these audiences primarily through annual subscriptions and advertising sales.

Product overview

COLE Publishing is a portfolio of print and digital magazine publications and trade shows serving two primary market segments: Water and Wastewater (9 publications including Cleaner, Dig Different, Municipal Sewer & Water, Onsite Installer, Plumber, Portable Restroom Operator, Pumper, Pumper E-Trader, and Treatment Plant Operator) and Outdoor/Enthusiast (9 publications including Archery Business, Bike EXIF, Bowhunting World, Grand View Outdoors, Hunting Retailer, Predator Xtreme, Rare Car Network, Shooting Sports Retailer, and Tactical Retailer). The company also organizes trade shows. The publications serve both professional trade audiences and consumer enthusiasts through print subscriptions, email newsletters, and digital platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grand View Outdoors: Guide to hunting, fishing, shooting and all things outdoors from the experts at Whitetail Journal, Predator Xtreme and Bowhunting World magazines.
• Midwest Pumper

Products and services

• Cleaner Magazine Print and digital magazine serving owners and managers of residential and commercial drain and sewer maintenance, cleaning, and repair businesses, along with industrial high-pressure cleaning contractors.
• Dig Different Magazine Print and digital magazine serving professionals involved in traditional excavation, vacuum excavation, trenching, directional drilling and boring, bursting, and tunneling.
• Municipal Sewer & Water (MSW) Magazine Print and digital magazine serving municipal decision-makers, sewer and water directors, technicians, and private water and wastewater contractors who install, inspect, maintain, and rehabilitate sewer, water, and stormwater infrastructure.
• Onsite Installer Magazine Print and digital magazine serving professionals who design, manufacture, engineer, and install septic systems and other onsite wastewater treatment systems for residential and commercial applications.
• Plumber Magazine Print and digital magazine exclusively serving residential and commercial plumbing contractors, franchisees, and supply houses providing services or supplies for repair work, pipe rehabilitation, water conditioning, and new construction.
• Portable Restroom Operator (PRO) Magazine Print and digital magazine serving owners, managers, and contractors of businesses that rent and service portable restrooms, luxury restroom trailers, and mobile hand-wash stations, and that offer other temporary sanitation and waste-disposal services.
• Pumper Magazine Print and digital magazine serving contractors and owners/managers of businesses that maintain and install residential and commercial septic systems, rent and service portable restrooms, and provide industrial vacuum service.
• Pumper E-Trader Digital publication and email newsletter helping water/wastewater professionals find new and used trucks and equipment.
• Treatment Plant Operator (TPO) Magazine Print and digital magazine serving licensed operators, managers, and superintendents at municipal wastewater and water treatment facilities across North America.
• Archery Business Magazine Print and digital magazine positioned as the voice of the archery industry, with a primary mission to educate and inform archery retailers.
• Bike EXIF Digital publication and email newsletter serving as a global showcase for custom motorcycles.
• Bowhunting World Magazine Print and digital magazine informing and entertaining bowhunters and potential bowhunters with articles and photography on equipment, how-tos, personality, nature/conservation, and adventure.
• Grand View Outdoors Magazine Print and digital umbrella publication serving as a guide to hunting, fishing, shooting, and all things outdoors, drawing on the editorial experts behind Whitetail Journal, Predator Xtreme, and Bowhunting World.
• Hunting Retailer Magazine Print and digital trade publication providing hunting-industry retailers with industry news, market trends, and business-operational guidance.
• Predator Xtreme Magazine Print and digital magazine providing in-depth content on calling predators, predator biology, and how-to information for predator-hunting enthusiasts.
• Rare Car Network Digital publication showcasing unique classics, replicas, and build culture for automotive enthusiasts.
• Shooting Sports Retailer Magazine Print and digital trade publication offering news and information to help retailers increase profits and stock the latest products in the shooting sports industry.
• Tactical Retailer Magazine Print and digital trade publication serving as the primary source of news and information for businesses that cater to the modern tactical firearms consumer.
• Water/Wastewater Trade Shows Trade shows hosted by COLE Publishing for the water and wastewater industries, providing in-person exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities alongside its portfolio of trade magazines.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Endeavor Business Media: Large diversified B2B media company operating numerous trade titles and events across infrastructure, construction, and industrial verticals — overlaps with COLE's water/wastewater trade portfolio and event business at a much larger scale.
• BNP Media: Privately held B2B media company publishing trade magazines, events, and digital content across mechanical, building, and infrastructure markets — directly comparable business model (trade pubs + events) to COLE's water/wastewater titles.
• Hanley Wood (Zonda): B2B media and data company serving the residential and commercial construction industry via trade publications, events, and research — comparable trade publishing + events model in a related infrastructure-adjacent vertical.
• Randall-Reilly: B2B media company serving construction, trucking, and infrastructure audiences through trade magazines, data, and events — comparable multi-vertical niche trade publishing model with similar revenue mix (ads + subs + events).
• Informa Markets (Infrastructure & Construction division): Global B2B media and events group with significant water, infrastructure, and construction trade publications and trade shows — directly comparable to COLE's water/wastewater publications and trade show business at global scale.
• North American Publishing Company: Independent B2B media company publishing trade magazines and producing events across multiple verticals including retail, packaging, and industrial markets — comparable private, niche-focused trade publishing model to COLE.

Direct peers

• Scranton Gillette Communications: Long-standing B2B publisher of infrastructure and water-focused trade magazines (e.g., Water & Wastes Digest) — directly competes with COLE's Municipal Sewer & Water, Treatment Plant Operator, and related titles serving the same municipal water/wastewater audience.
• Babcox Media: B2B media company publishing enthusiast and trade titles in automotive, powersports, and related markets — closely comparable to COLE's Outdoor/Enthusiast portfolio in vertical structure, audience focus, and revenue model (print + digital + events).
• Adventure Publications: Independent publisher of outdoor and nature enthusiast magazines and books (e.g., Birds & Blooms, state-specific outdoor titles) — direct peer to COLE's Grand View Outdoors titles (Whitetail Journal, Predator Xtreme, Bowhunting World) serving the same hunting/outdoor enthusiast audience.

Regional players

• Petersen Media (Petersen's Hunting, Bow & Arrow Hunting): Specialty outdoor/hunting enthusiast magazine publisher serving North American hunters and bowhunters — directly competes with COLE's Grand View Outdoors titles (Bowhunting World, Predator Xtreme) for the same enthusiast audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/COLEPublishing
• Xtwitter.com/colepublishing
• Instagraminstagram.com/colepublishing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cole-publishing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 COLE Publishing