A DORSET company is involved in a merger which will create a regional office technology company.

Wimborne-based office equipment supplier Copyrite and its IT services subsidiary Criterion are to merge with Bristol-based ITEC and take its name from June 25.

The merger will result in a company with 3,500 customers, 300 staff and annual sales of £45million.

Copyrite’s Wimborne office will remain as an expanded hub for Dorset and Hampshire, with Copyrite directors Ian Stewart and Phil Ford heading the business on the south coast.

In a joint statement, ITEC’s chief executive Nick Orme and Copyrite director Ian Stewart said: “Our vision is to build a technology powerhouse to serve customers across the south coast, the South West and beyond. The goal is to help organisations become more agile and deploy technology in ways that maximise efficiency and enable smarter working.”

The merger is not expected to affect the number of staff in the merged company.

Mr Stewart added: “From a local perspective this merger creates a very strong IT company in Dorset and Hampshire with the capacity to support the needs of even the largest and most complex customers in this region. We believe this is good news for businesses on the south coast.”

Nick Orme said: “This merger puts in place a very strong presence on the South Coast, alongside ITEC’s existing footprint in Bristol, Devon, Cornwall, Manchester and Somerset. The companies coming together in this merger are very aligned in terms of our values, our business models and our culture.”

Nick Orme, Ian Stewart and Phil Ford have known each other as friends and occasionally competitors for 20 years. Mr Orme remains in place chief executive of the enlarged ITEC, while Ian Stewart and Phil Ford join the board.