Vancouver Document Scanning Business Micro Com Systems Acquired by Edmonton's Consentia Inc.

The transition of Micro Com Systems (MCS) to new ownership after 46 years under Craig Hollingum demonstrates the complex realities of business succession planning in today's market. Hollingum, who joined the Vancouver document scanning bureau in 1981 and became sole owner in 2010, faced the challenge of finding an appropriate successor when considering retirement after more than four decades with the company.

Research from Statistics Canada shows the average retirement age is 65.3 years, but for business owners like Hollingum, simply walking away wasn't feasible. He identified four potential paths forward: passing the business to family successors, sudden death at his desk, gradual wind-down, or finding a buyer. Family succession wasn't an option, the second choice was completely unappealing, and winding down would have meant job losses for his employees, making finding a buyer the only viable solution.

The search for a suitable buyer began in early 2023 with conversations with companies in similar niches. After initial discussions didn't yield results, one party re-engaged earlier this year with serious interest in expanding into the British Columbia market. Following ongoing negotiations, both parties reached a mutually beneficial agreement that will see Edmonton-based Consentia Inc. take over ownership effective December 1, 2025.

Consentia operates a similar service bureau in Edmonton and brings a proven track record of keeping customers satisfied with high-quality imaging services. Importantly for the transition, Consentia maintains the Canadian ownership structure that MCS customers have valued, being locally owned and operated. Hollingum expressed confidence in handing over the business to Consentia, describing his tenure as "a great ride" as he prepares for the next stage of life.

Micro Com Systems has been serving local businesses with document management solutions since 1975, offering services including document imaging and management, archival and book scanning, medical imaging, OCR, large format scanning, and enterprise report management. More information about the company's services can be found at https://www.microcomsys.com/.

This acquisition highlights the importance of thoughtful succession planning for small and medium-sized businesses, particularly those with long-serving owners approaching retirement. The successful transfer to another Canadian company ensures business continuity for MCS clients and job security for employees while maintaining local ownership in the document management industry.