Online research firm Ingenta has snapped up its main competitor, Abingdon-based CatchWord, in a deal worth £11.2m.

CatchWord, which employs 47 staff, provides online distribution for publishers of professional and research information.

It also provides technology services to convert articles from formats commonly used in printing technology to those that can be delivered over the Internet.

The company, which was formed seven years ago, is based at the Abingdon Science Park and also has offices in New York and Washington DC. The agreed takeover sum could rise to a maximum of £16.7m if CatchWord hits certain targets during the year.

Managing director Simon Inger said: "Our plan is to integrate the two operations. In the interim, it is business as usual for our publisher and library customers.

"Our teams will continue to provide the innovative solutions, flexible and responsive customer service for which we are well known. I look forward to extending this further as part of a larger organisation."

Mark Rowse, chief executive of Bath-based global research company Ingenta, which has an office in Banbury Road, Oxford, said: "The combination of the two largest online providers creates an unrivalled channel for the delivery of professional and academic research to publishers and libraries in this market."

Clients include eight of the world's top ten journal publishers, including the Taylor & Francis Group, and two of the world's top three reference publishers. The merged Ingenta now handles hosting and linking to more than 4,500 publications for more than 140 publishers.

Libraries, research organisations, individual researchers and other third-party gateways will benefit from a single source of supply and will interface to an extensive interlinked collection of research and reference content.

CatchWord staff will be absorbed into existing Ingenta departments and its management team will join the senior management group of Ingenta.