M Squared, the pioneer in photonics and quantum technology, has announced its expansion into Germany with the establishment of a Berlin office located in the Science and Technology Park, Berlin Adlershof. 

M Squared is headquartered in Glasgow, and the new Berlin office will add to its additional locations in London, Surrey and the US.

M Squared Germany will be headed up by Dr Thomas Laurent. New to M Squared but with almost 20 years of experience in the Photonics industry, he will manage the sales activities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (the DACH region).

The firm is a leading developer of photonics and quantum technology and one of the fastest-growing tech companies in the UK. Its tools are used in collaboration with Nobel Prize-winning scientists, some of the world's top universities and innovative manufacturers.

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The company will offer sales and support for the company's growing European customer base via a team of scientific product specialists, and support teams. New staff numbers are not yet known.

There are further plans in place to extend ongoing R&D and collaborative efforts from this new facility to strengthen partnerships and collaborations across Europe. 

M Squared currently employs more than 100 staff globally, with over 60 per cent of its team working in high-value scientific and technical roles. In Berlin, the company is planning for rapid business growth, which will provide significant employment opportunities across the region.

The location of Berlin Adlershof Science City, one of the most successful high-technology sites in Germany, will provide the opportunity for the company to work alongside universities, non-university research institutes, and over 1,100 businesses.

With a strong academic ecosystem and industrial foundation in Berlin and across Germany, M Squared will also benefit from collaboration with the many companies feeding into the photonics and quantum technology supply chain. 

Dr Graeme Malcolm, chief executrive and founder of M Squared, said: "M Squared is an ambitious, high-growth business focussed on developing world-class scientific and industrial laser platforms, microscopy products, and quantum technology systems and applications.

“We have been supporting European customers and partners since 2006, and have seen first-hand the benefits and power of these interactions. With the establishment of our German subsidiary, we are making a conscious commitment to our European network and taking the lead in making our full range of technologies and services available to pioneers across Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Germany is a fantastic place to be expanding to from a technology standpoint, and we look forward to further building relationships and establishing long-term supply chains."

Dr Thomas Laurent, general manager and head of sales DACH of M Squared Germany, said: "In my new role at M Squared Germany, I am delighted to be focusing on the photonics and quantum industries and returning to my academic roots in solid-state lasers. Berlin Adlershof has proven to be a hotspot for bringing together scientific talent and commercial ambitions.

"I look forward to presenting the latest photonics platforms and introducing ground-breaking quantum technology systems and applications to the scientific and research communities across the region and subsequently presenting M Squared's new industrial applications. It's an exciting time for the business, photonics is going from strength to strength, and I am looking forward to welcoming new talent to support the growing team here in Berlin."

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary predicted the UK quarantine will cause "untold devastation" for the country's tourism industry.

He told BBC Radio's 4 Today programme: "What it is going to do is untold devastation, not just to the airlines but to British tourism.

"The thousands of hotels, the thousands of visitor attractions, restaurants in the next couple of months - July and August are the two key months for British tourism in the tourism industry.

"We're facing thousands of jobs losses because of a stupid, ineffective quarantine."

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He said Ryanair bookings were down about 50% on the same time last year but that outbound flights remained popular compared with inbound journeys, with European travellers being put off coming to the UK due to the restrictions to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival.

Lucy Moreton, professional officer at the Immigration Services Union, said Border Force staff checking quarantine papers were "angry" at the way they were being treated.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that technical papers explaining to staff what to check for only arrived on Friday and were still not available to those operating on the front line of the devolved administrations.

Ms Moreton added: "The staff are really angry that this does appear to be very shambolic and they don't want to be blamed for that."

She added that there was "no provision to check the address" that arrivals had given for where they would self-isolate and that the system was built on "trust".

Policing minister Kit Malthouse said the country would have to "hold our breath" on a possible rise in coronavirus cases, following the mass gatherings over the weekend for the anti-racism protests.

His comments came after scientists predicted that one in 600 people have the virus.

When put to him on BBC Radio 4's Today programme that such a ratio meant Covid-19 would have been spread by protesters, Mr Malthouse said: "That's certainly the danger we are running at.

"We will all have to hold our breath over the next couple of weeks to see exactly what the impact has been. It is very unfortunate.

"As we have said right from the start, we urge people not to participate on public health grounds, notwithstanding the obvious strength of feeling that they have."

Car dealership Lookers has warned investors they might be unable to buy and sell its shares from the beginning of July, after it discovered a potential fraud on its books.

It said it is likely it will have to suspend shares, potentially until the end of August, after a review into last year's accounts by auditing firm Grant Thornton.

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The auditor's experts have been examining Lookers's 2019 financial statements since being appointed earlier in the year.

They have now submitted a draft report to the the company.

The likely suspension will last until Lookers manages to publish its results.

Lookers said it will try to ensure the results are published by "no later than the end of August".

Last week Lookers announced plans to axe about 1,500 jobs and close 12 showrooms as it deals with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.