Triangle.

• Position: Inspire Pharmaceuticals marketing rights from Boehringer Ingelheim International - Verizon Communications recruiting plans for workers and contracts with ABN AMRO Bank N.V. - Progress Energy sold Progress Telecom to Level 3 Communications

Xerium is xerious about its direction

Xerium Technologies moved its headquarters to Youngsville from Westborough, Mass., to consolidate management near its factories in the Southeast. Xerium, which makes equipment used in paper production and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, has about 30 of its 3,900 employees in Youngsville and 36 factories in 15 countries. The company, which lost $2 million on sales of $582 million in 2005 and $14 million on sales of $582 million in 2004, is cutting costs.

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RALEIGH -- INC Research, a contract research organization specializing in oncology and disorders of the central nervous system, plans to add 100 jobs here this year, for a total of 345. The local company, which employs 700 in 12 countries, also opened offices in France, Russia and Ukraine.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK -- Tokyo-based Eisai plans to spend $90 million to expand its drug-making operations here and add 59 jobs within three years, bringing the total to 317. It plans to add 25 more by 2011. Weekly wages will average $1,650, compared with the Durham County average of $659.

HILLSBOROUGH -- Natural-food grocer Weaver Street Market plans to open a store here in 2007. The town rejected its building plans because of traffic concerns, but a judge ruled in favor of the company. Weaver Street operates three stores, including the original in Carrboro, and a restaurant.

SANFORD -- The Pantry bought Birmingham, Ala.-based Shop-A-Snak Food Mart for an undisclosed sum. Shop-A-Snak operates 38 convenience stores and grossed $123 million in 2005. The Pantry grossed $4.4 billion. It also made CEO Peter Sodini chairman of the board.

MORRISVILLE -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration denied marketing approval for Emezine, a nausea and vomiting treatment developed by BioDelivery Sciences International. The company hadn't decided how to respond.

DURHAM -- Douglas Breeden, 55, has resigned as dean of Duke University's business school, effective June 30, 2007. Breeden, dean since 2001, plans to return to fulltime teaching and research. He is chairman emeritus and co-founder of Smith Breeden Associates, a Chapel Hill-based money manager.

CARY -- Detroit-based Compuware bought...