Business doings

XinRay founded, focuses on updating X-rays

A company founded by physics professors at UNC-Chapel Hill will expand a partnership with a division of German conglomerate Siemens to develop new X-ray technology.

Siemens Medical Solutions and Xintek Inc., based in Research Triangle Park, have formed XinRay Systems to put employees working on next-generation X-rays in North Carolina, Germany and China under one roof.

Xintek uses nanotechnology licensed by UNC-CH and Duke University. The company was started by Otto Zhou and Jianping Lu, the two UNC-CH professors who developed the technology. Backed by grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Xintek's 15 employees also are developing better airport-security screeners using tiny carbon tubes.

The company began working with Siemens using the nanotubes to improve medical imaging technology two years ago.

Zhou remains chairman of Xintek and will become CEO of XinRay, which also will be based in RTP. Financial terms of the partnership with Siemens were not disclosed.

Deals

Quintiles Transnational and Durham developer Tri Properties broke ground Wednesday on Quintiles Plaza, the 252,000-square-foot future headquarters for the drug research company. The project will include a 207-room Westin hotel, which is expected to be completed by 2009.

Residential development firm Landquest joined Atlantic Coast Development to develop a new community, Waterway Cove in Ocean Isle.

Nexus Strategies, a Raleigh political and governmental affairs consulting firm, has three new clients: The National Environmental Trust, the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network and the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Realistic Reflections, a Raleigh-based online photo library that offers images of people with disabilities, has made its images available through Getty Images.

Kudos

Arena Capital Advisors, a Raleigh investment bank, opened an office in Boston. The office will be led by Eric A. Laub.

Cree, which manufactures tiny light-emitting chips, has demonstrated light output from a single LED of more than 1,000 lumens, which is equal to the output of a standard household light bulb. Cree also resolved a patent dispute with rival Nichia.

The Generation Cos., a Research Triangle Park real estate developer, asset manager and operator of extended-stay hotels, held a grand opening of the Staybridge Suites/Memphis. Generation Cos. bought the property in 2006 and completed a renovation of more than $3 million.

DocuSource in Morrisville installed new and upgraded equipment, including new black-and-white and color digital printers, a Duplo UV coater for coating of digitally printed materials, and two HPZ6100 poster printers.

Articulon, a Raleigh public relations and branding firm, will research and develop a new Web site for Physique Transformation, a personal training studio and wellness provider.

French/West/Vaughan, a public relations and public affairs agency in Raleigh, was selected by WaterPartners International to develop and execute a public relations and marketing communications campaign to help raise awareness of the world water crisis.

Summit IT Services has an agreement with Mainline Information Systems. Summit will provide and manage the necessary technical resources to accomplish Mainline's customer objectives.

Dryer Vent Wizard in Tarboro is a new franchise that provides cleaning and maintenance of dryer vents. The franchise services 27 counties in northeastern North Carolina including Wake County.

NvestNtech is offering Web conference or on-site training for FrontRange Solutions' GoldMine users.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics chose Hospice of Wake County for a national survey of hospices and home-care organizations.

Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers began construction of a community center and gymnasium. The building is the newest addition to TROSA's James Street campus.