After 46 years with the company, Craig Hollingum has successfully transitioned ownership of Micro Com Systems (MCS), the Vancouver document scanning bureau he helped build, to Edmonton-based Consentia Inc. The acquisition, effective December 1, 2025, represents a significant business succession story in the Canadian document management industry and ensures the continuity of services that local businesses have relied on since 1975.
Hollingum's journey with the company began in 1979 when he answered a newspaper ad seeking a sales representative at a micrographic service bureau. He migrated to 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, Hollingum faced the common challenge business owners encounter: finding the right successor.
Research revealed 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 eliminate 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 2023 conversations with companies in similar niches, though initial discussions didn't yield results. Earlier this year, one party re-engaged with serious interest in expanding into the British Columbia market, leading to successful negotiations. Consentia Inc., which operates a similar service bureau in Edmonton, brings a proven track record of customer satisfaction and high-quality imaging services to the acquisition.
The transition matters because it represents a successful business succession model in an industry where specialized knowledge and customer relationships are critical assets. For MCS clients, the acquisition ensures continuity of document management services including document imaging, archival scanning, medical imaging, OCR processing, and enterprise report management. Employees benefit from maintained positions under new ownership that understands the document scanning industry.
Hollingum expressed confidence in the transition, stating he feels "very comfortable handing over the keys to Consentia" and reflecting that "it's been a great ride." The company's comprehensive service offerings, detailed at https://www.microcomsys.com/, will continue under new management. Additional context about the transition is available at https://www.microcomsys.com/to-the-clients-and-staff-of-mcs-thanks-its-been-a-great-ride/.
This acquisition demonstrates how Canadian businesses can successfully navigate ownership transitions while preserving local employment and maintaining service quality. The document management industry continues to evolve with digital transformation, making stable ownership transitions crucial for businesses relying on these services for compliance, efficiency, and historical preservation needs.
