A Portland provider of IT services has acquired the managed services division of Connecticut company to enhance customer service and expand its service delivery area.

Christopher Claudio is CEO of Portland tech firm Winxnet.

Winxnet did not disclose the terms of its acquisition of the division of Forza Technology Solutions, a custom software development company based in Wallingford.

The deal follows the merger of Winxnet and K&R Network Solutions earlier this year, creating a national outsourced IT provider.

Chris Claudio, Winxnet CEO, said the number of small to mid-sized businesses that are outsourcing their IT support is growing.

“Instead of relying completely on an internal IT team or paying for expertise on a time and material basis, managed services providers allow (clients) to outsource IT support for a fixed monthly fee with guaranteed service levels,” he said in a release announcing the deal.

The acquisition extends Winxnet’s service area into Connecticut. The company already operates in other New England states, as well as California and the Southeast.