Vancouver's Micro Com Systems Acquired by Edmonton's Consentia Inc. After 46 Years Under Founder's Leadership
The acquisition of Micro Com Systems by Consentia Inc. represents a significant business succession story in Canada's document management sector, ensuring continuity for employees and clients while demonstrating successful inter-provincial business expansion.
After 46 years with the company and more than a decade as sole owner, Craig Hollingum has successfully navigated the complex process of business succession by selling Micro Com Systems (MCS) to Edmonton-based Consentia Inc. The Vancouver document scanning bureau will transition to new ownership effective December 1, 2025, marking the end of an era for the long-standing local business while ensuring its continued operation and employee retention.
Hollingum's journey with MCS began in 1979 when he answered a newspaper ad for a sales representative position at a micrographic service bureau. He joined MCS in 1981 and became one of three owners in 1992, eventually becoming the sole owner in 2010 after outlasting his partners. When retirement considerations emerged after his 46-year tenure, Hollingum faced the common challenge many business owners encounter: finding the right successor.
Research revealed that the average retirement age in Canada is 65.3 years, according to Statistics Canada data, but as a business owner, simply walking away wasn't feasible. Hollingum evaluated four potential exit strategies: offering the business to successors (his children declined), winding down operations gradually (which would have eliminated employee positions), finding a buyer, or what he described as the unappealing option of "dying of a massive coronary at his desk."
The path to acquisition began with early conversations in 2023 with several parties in similar business niches, though initial discussions didn't yield results. The breakthrough came earlier this year when one party re-engaged with serious interest in expanding into the British Columbia market. After ongoing negotiations, both parties reached a mutually beneficial agreement that will see Consentia Inc. take over as proprietor of MCS.
Consentia operates a similar service bureau in Edmonton and brings a proven track record of maintaining customer satisfaction through high-quality imaging services. Like MCS, Consentia is a Canadian company that is locally owned and operated, providing continuity in business philosophy and approach. Hollingum expressed confidence in the transition, stating he feels "very comfortable handing over the keys to Consentia" and describing his tenure as "a great ride."
Micro Com Systems has been providing document management solutions to local businesses since 1975, offering services including document imaging and management, archival and book scanning, medical imaging, OCR, large format scanning, microfilm scanning, aperture card scanning, enterprise report management, high-speed printing, capture software, and capture equipment. More information about the company's services can be found at https://www.microcomsys.com/.