Kluwell Publications: Creating Enthusiastic Readers for Twenty Years

This year Bendigo based Education publisher Kluwell are celebrating their 20th year in business.

Bendigo, Victoria: In the mid-1990s, two Victorian teachers, Stan Kluzek and Andrew Coldwell, shared what they like to call ‘a light bulb moment’ about a reading journal they were using with primary school students – they figured it could be improved upon and further developed as a commercial enterprise with a premise that reading is fun. Stan and Andy drew on their combined teaching background of over fifty years, and their extensive experience as principals and curriculum consultants, to develop the Kluwell Reading Journals, Readicator Charts, and the Kluwell Do IT Diary.

The entrepreneurial pair bought a shed in Bendigo, employed an office manager and set about creating a range of quality educational products that were simple to use, innovative and practical. While their idea was based on solid teaching principles, nothing like the reading journals had been developed before Kluwell, so when the journals hit the education market, they were a unique product that raised plenty of interest.

Stan and Andy formed Kluwell Publications in 1996, they chose the name Kluwell from both their surnames – Kluzek and Coldwell. Since their first book in 1996, Kluwell Reading Journals have been widely used in classrooms across Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US.

With the business continually expanding, the directors contacted Bendigo based graphic artist, John Veeken, to work on lively illustrations and reading awards for the journals, making their appearance more professional and increasing their appeal with primary students.

With a thriving market established in Australia, Stan and Andy decided it was time to start creating enthusiastic readers worldwide. The first step was to examine international markets and investigate the export potential of their Kluwell Reading Journal and associated products.

The results were very positive, and now Kluwell Reading Journals are shipped to the USA, New Zealand and more recently, the United Kingdom. School children across the globe are now enjoying the benefits of the simple little readers initially developed in a shed in Bendigo.

Now in the twentieth year of operation, directors Stan and Andy are well aware of the shift in educational technology and expectations in primary schools, and they are already looking to the future of Kluwell both in Australia and abroad. They are currently working on the development of an app that will be an electronic replica of, and work in conjunction with, their flagship journal, “Kluwell My Home Reading”.  With a loyal customer base and a new crop of budding readers each year, there is no doubt Kluwell will build on the past twenty years and continue to create enthusiastic readers in the future.

About Kluwell Publications: Kluwell Publications are a Bendigo based education publisher owned by Stan Kluzek and Andy Coldwell who have both been principals, classroom teachers and curriculum consultants. The Reading journals which assist primary aged children in  developing clear milestones to aid their enthusiasm for reading is now sold across the globe.