The announcement reads: "As part of its mission to help customers innovate the way they do business, SAP will acquire Right Hemisphere, a leading provider of visual enterprise solutions based in San Ramon, California, and Auckland, New Zealand. The 3-D model-based visualisation and communications technologies from Right Hemisphere will enhance SAP software and enable visual navigation and interrogation of an entire product or asset and all its associated data in one, unified environment.

"This acquisition is consistent with SAP's strategy to complement existing applications and solutions with innovative technologies and capabilities while maintaining its successful track record of organic growth. The companies already share numerous joint customers that are seeing benefits of the combination of enterprise software and 3-D visualisation."

Right Hemisphere was granted an interest-free $14 million loan , as part of a deal to encourage the firm to retain a New Zealand presence. The loan was extended twice and was ; at an audio conference this morning, Right Hemisphere and SAP said the loan will be paid back as part of the acquisition deal.

At the audio conference, the companies declined to disclose the purchase price after requests from local media representatives for this information.

Right Hemisphere's 45 locally-based staff will be retained, SAP's Hans Thalbauer, head of line of business solutions for supply chain and R&D, said at the audio conference.