Vancouver Document Scanning Business Transitions to New Ownership After 46 Years

After 46 years in the document scanning industry, Craig Hollingum faced the complex challenge of transitioning his successful Vancouver business into retirement. As owner of Micro Com Systems (MCS), Hollingum recognized that simply walking away wasn't an option, prompting him to explore various succession strategies for the company he had helped build since 1981 and became sole owner of in 2010.

Hollingum's research revealed the average retirement age in Canada is 65.3 years according to Statistics Canada data, but business ownership presented unique challenges. He identified four potential paths forward: offering the business to family successors, winding down operations gradually, finding an external buyer, or what he humorously described as "dying of a massive coronary at his desk." With family members declining to take over and gradual closure threatening employee livelihoods, finding a suitable buyer emerged as the most viable option.

Initial discussions with potential buyers in early 2023 yielded limited results until one party re-engaged earlier this year with serious interest in expanding into the British Columbia market. After ongoing negotiations, both parties reached a mutually beneficial agreement that will see Edmonton-based Consentia Inc. assume ownership of MCS effective December 1, 2025. Consentia operates a similar service bureau in Edmonton and brings a proven track record of customer satisfaction in imaging services.

The transition ensures business continuity for MCS clients who have relied on the company's document management solutions since 1975. Services including document imaging and management, archival and book scanning, medical imaging, OCR processing, and large format scanning will continue under new ownership. Hollingum expressed confidence in handing over operations to Consentia, noting they share MCS's commitment to being a Canadian-owned and operated company. Additional information about the company's services remains available at https://www.microcomsys.com/.

This acquisition represents more than just a business transaction—it preserves local jobs and maintains service quality for Vancouver businesses that have depended on MCS for document management solutions. For Hollingum, the successful transfer marks the culmination of what he describes as "a great ride" spanning nearly five decades in the industry, beginning when he answered a newspaper ad for a sales representative at a micrographic service bureau in 1979 before joining MCS two years later.