About Us

The Brechin Group Inc.

The Brechin Group Inc. is a content conversion and digitization company using image science-based processes to ensure the production of digital content meets international archiving standards. The company is recognized as a leader in providing high-quality, low-cost digitization services. ​

Brechin has digitization centers in Ottawa, Gatineau, and Toronto. The company also deploys its imaging teams on-site at customer locations across the country and around the world. Brechin offers off-site content storage security in the Ottawa region.

People

Brechin brings over two decades of expertise in digitizing film, documents, newspapers, microfilm, manuscripts, and rare books.​​

Robert J. McComb, a co-founder of the company, has been involved in the science since the early research stages of digital imaging. With an extensive formal business background, he holds issued imaging patents related to the quality parameters of digital imaging. A graduate of the University of Toronto and attendee of the Wharton Executive Education program.

Jacqueline Vincent, a co-founder of the company, was an early pioneer in the digital photography of museum artifacts and has been sharing her digital archiving knowledge in Canada and internationally. Over the years she has spoken at numerous conferences on the topics of digital conversion, image quality, and special collections. She is a graduate of the Algonquin College Photography program and has a Project Management Certificate from Carleton University.​ Jacqueline is an active member of the Society for Imaging Science and Technology and its Archiving group.

Melissa D. Knapp, Brechin's Digital Operations manager, leads teams of imaging technicians that execute the digitization process. She is responsible for all operational performance metrics that include quantitative quality measures, deliverable timelines, and the day-to-day running of the business. Melissa has been with Brechin for over 15 years and has built very close relationships with our clients and technology partners. She is responsible for ensuring that her teams are well trained in all aspects of their work and are recognized for outstanding performance. Melissa is also responsible for the management and transport of all client and company assets.

As an innovator in mass digitization, the Brechin management team has developed unique imaging processing tools to ensure the digital conversions are at the highest fidelity. Brechin Imaging Technicians have been trained in the handling of rare and fragile material to ensure the original content be treated with the utmost care and respect. They take great pride in the quality of their work. All have college diplomas in the area of imaging science.

Brechin is a member of the society of Image and Science of Technology.

Process

The Brechin operations team follows a series of documented Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). The SOP's document the digitization process along with the quality performance measures. These quality metrics are recorded, tracked and available to be shared with the client. They include the use of many imaging tools, including resolution test targets.

Content owners can be assured that they are receiving the quality of the digital file as they're expecting.
Brechin has been certified by the CAN-CGSB Standard 72.34-3005 Electronic Records as Documentary Evidence and CNA-CGSB Standard 72.11.93 Microfilm and Electronic Imaging as documentary evidence.