For those who are interested in how all these companies are related and how their relation affects QRS I have laid out below the history and information on them. After reading the following you will see that BTG’s relationship with L3 led to the 25/11/03 agreement between QRS and L3. It’s a long read but if you are interested or have already invested in QRS it is worthwhile knowing how some of the pieces fit together.
British Technology Group (BTG own 5% of QRS) BTG, a privatised arm of the British government and successor to The National Enterprise Board which was dissolved on 05/05/1996. BTG identify new technologies from universities, research centres and businesses around the world. BTG works with partners to develop these technologies. BTG optimises and expands company intellectual property portfolios and invests in technical development. Optimised commercialisation strategies are developed based on target market, technology and intellectual property. BTG licenses technology to existing companies or creates start up ventures around technology.
In 1989 BTG signed an exclusive license with Vivid Technologies Inc for the development of quadrupole resonance technology.
In August 2003 the Vivid Technologies Inc technology is acquired by L3 Communications.
L3 Communications L-3 Security & Detection Systems, Inc. is the world’s leading supplier of X-ray security screening systems and metal detectors offers a broad array of products to the aviation, transportation, and public building security markets. They have over 18,000 systems in operation worldwide— screening packages for explosives, firearms, contraband, and drugs in the vast majority of all commercial airports, jails, postal facilities, and government buildings.
Security & Detection Systems has state-of-the art manufacturing facilities in California, Florida, Massachusetts, and the United Kingdom. The headquarters in Woburn, Massachusetts, is responsible for engineering, marketing, finance, customer service, and administration. While the Florida facility is the development and manufacturing center for their Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Certified systems. California houses high-volume manufacturing and Bracknell, UK is it’s European base of operations for sales, service, and some manufacturing. The four facilities accommodate 30 years of experience in the design, creation, and installation of X-ray screening systems.
L-3 COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY AND DETECTION SYSTEMS SECURES CARGO SCREENING CONTRACT WITH EUROPEAN GOVERNMENT CUSTOMER
Boston, MA, November 6, 2003 - L-3 Communications Security and Detection Systems announced today that it has been awarded a contract to supply two CX-2500M high-energy, mobile, cargo X-ray screening systems. A government within the European Union awarded the contract for delivery of the systems in the summer of 2004. The great success of a similar system, which has been in operation with Dutch Customs in the Port of Rotterdam since January 2003, has demonstrated the effectiveness and quality of L-3's mobile cargo X-ray screening systems.
QRSciences September 2002 - QRSciences entered into a long term exclusive license with BTG International Ltd. QRSciences has taken a worldwide exclusive license over 14 QR patent families owned by BTG and developed by Professor John Smith at King's College London.
QRSciences On 25 November 2003 QRSciences link with U.S. screening giant L-3 Communications. QRSciences Limited (“QRS”) has entered into a license agreement with L-3 Communications Security Systems Corporation, a subsidiary of L-3 Communications Inc. (LLL:NYSE). Under the terms of this agreement QRSciences will assist with the integration of its innovative Quadrupole Resonance based explosive detection technology into L-3’s existing line of screening products.
