Since its beginnings in 1989, Consortech has been driven by a clear purpose: to help GIS leaders in leveraging their geospatial data for the benefit of their organization and community. Founded by Pierre Genest in the early days of geomatics, the company is now a trusted player in North America’s geospatial industry.
Our roots
Consortech originally embarked on a mission to set itself apart by bringing cutting-edge technologies to the municipal sector. Even before the democratization of mobile technologies and applications, our innovative spirit led to the development of PortaCAD, a pioneering field data collection software.
Picture the classic pen computing tablet—Consortech was already using this revolutionary platform to run its CAD solution in 1991!
1990s
Despite impressive inroads in Ontario, British Columbia and even Bermuda, our dreams of commercializing PortaCAD didn’t come to fruition. In the spirit of continuous growth and improvement, Consortech pivoted its focus to distributing value-added products, entering partnership agreements with MapInfo and, most notably, Safe Software in 1999.
“Working with Consortech has been a blast! Consortech and Safe both share a passion for delivering innovative solutions, making our partnership truly special and rewarding. Together, we’ve empowered thousands of organizations to unlock the full potential of their data with FME, significantly boosting efficiency and delivering real value. This accomplishment is a great source of pride.
Thanks to their expertise and commitment to helping communities, government agencies, and firms fully leverage their geospatial data, together, we’re making a substantial impact on the industry. We look forward to a fun and prosperous future!”
2000s
At the turn of the millennium, we broadened our geomatics expertise to include automation with Safe Software’s FME solution. Simultaneously, the company took several steps to diversify its activities. Partnerships with technology giants such as Bentley and Autodesk provided entry points in the realms of CAD and BIM. When Bentley eliminated its reseller network in 2004, our relationship with Autodesk really took off. Consortech emerged as the top geomatics reseller in Quebec and a leader in the integration of Civil 3D technology.
These endeavours were all the more significant because they enabled synergy between geomatics and the optimization of data-handling processes. Prime examples include our multitude of CAD-to-GIS projects and uploading portal for as-built drawings.
This period also coincides with major efforts to expand our presence in the Ontario market, which now accounts for nearly 20% of Consortech’s revenues.
2010s
The 2010s were marked by the implementation of a business succession plan. The founder gradually delegated the management of the company to three key employees: Rémy Pelletier, Guillaume Genest and François Laganière. This trio assumed the leadership of Consortech in 2017. One of their primary strategic initiatives involved divesting the Autodesk and BIM divisions to realign the company’s mission around geospatial value.
During the same period, we underwent a major organizational transformation, transitioning from value-added resellers to leading GIS consulting specialists. It was indeed a significant challenge, but our clients were grateful for our willingness to embrace change. We’ve since enhanced our offerings to include training, support, and complex project development, addressing their growing need for expertise in the geospatial field.
Since then, Consortech has been exporting its expertise throughout the continent and is proud to be Safe Software’s first Platinum Partner in North America.
“We gravitate toward strategies that yield prompt, tangible results. Consortech’s improvements to our FME processes are a case in point! By efficiently adapting existing technologies and solutions, we were able to save time and money!”
2020s and our vision for the future
Guillaume Genest and François Laganière assumed leadership of Consortech as its sole shareholders in 2020. Their vision was clear: cultivate the company’s growth by prioritizing geospatial performance.
To achieve this, Consortech attained the status of Esri Silver Partner, underscoring its commitment to The Science of Where™ and acknowledging our longstanding expertise in ArcGIS projects.
Today, our consulting team consists of GIS and IT experts who work together to better support our clients on various technology aspects, including
- Stabilizing and enhancing ArcGIS platforms
- Optimizing and automating processes with FME
- Ensuring ArcGIS integration with business systems
Our range of services is truly impressive, covering everything from technology assessment and GIS governance to implementing ArcGIS and FME environments. We also offer team training, coaching, and an array of turnkey projects.
Looking back, it’s fascinating to note that even though technology has changed and our services have evolved over three decades, our core mission remains essentially unchanged: to enable geospatial leaders to unlock the full potential of their geospatial data for the betterment of their organization and community.
What does the future hold for Consortech? Stay tuned! We have many exciting projects in the pipeline!