内容摘要：Among the many digitised artefacts are 3D scans and models of the Taj Mahal; tranches of ancient manuscripts from the Vatican Library; satellite observations of Earth from space; and Norway's treasured painting, the Scream, by Edvard Munck.

Among the many digitised artefacts are 3D scans and models of the Taj Mahal; tranches of ancient manuscripts from the Vatican Library; satellite observations of Earth from space; and Norway's treasured painting, the Scream, by Edvard Munck.

One of the largest seat manufacturing companies worldwide is Safran. It has facilities on six continents.But, thanks to the pandemic, demand for aircraft seats has flip-flopped dramatically of late. When Covid-19 emerged, the aerospace manufacturing industry slowed to a crawl. Globally, companies laid off thousands of workers. Thompson, for one, cut its own workforce in half, and has faced financial losses running to many millions.

The world has at last opened up again, but seat manufacturers have not been able to find all the skilled workers they need, meaning that demand, globally speaking, is outstripping supply. It is a “very difficult situation”, Airbus’ chief executive said in June, referring to the slow supply of seats and other cabin parts.“The industry lost that expertise, both in terms of direct, hands-on manufacturing, but also in terms of teaching younger people how to do the job,” explains Nick Cunningham, an analyst at Agency Partners who tracks the fortunes of another seat maker, Safran.One of the problems, he adds, is that seat makers are finding it hard to get their seats tested and certified quickly by third-parties, since they are also facing labour shortages.

Thompson, however, can sidestep this problem with its in-house testing facilities, explains Colm McEvoy, vice president of corporate accounts. He says that the firm is able to meet its customers’ needs at present, though he adds, “We’re having to be very strategic with regards to the new customers.”There are more than 650 people working at Thompson’s sites in Northern Ireland, but, at the time of writing, the company had more than a dozen job vacancies listed on its website. “We’re in competition with other manufacturing companies to try and secure the best talent,” says Mr McEvoy.

Despite this challenge, Thompson has a five-year plan to multiply its annual output of seats. Mr McEvoy shows me around the factory floor at the firm’s Portadown site, where workers are busy riveting aluminium seat parts together, and checking the complex wiring for the entertainment systems in these expensive structures – each seat costs “tens of thousands” to make, says Mr McEvoy.

“This seat in front of you is the most complex seat we make,” adds Eoin Murray, operations manager. It takes around 100 hours for the highly skilled workers here to assemble in full.His finger prints were found on some of the butane canisters and on packages of cannabis sweets discovered in Mr Laws' car, Mr Brooke said, with evidence from his phones showing he had been selling cannabis sweets for at least 11 months before the blast.

Galbraith, who also admitted producing and selling cannabis, had previous convictions related to the drug and was under police investigation at the time of the blast, the court heard.In mitigation, Richard Wright KC said Galbraith had not intended to harm or kill anybody and was "genuinely sorry".

Mr Justice Cotter said Archie was a "healthy, happy and much-loved seven-year-old" with a "wonderful and exciting life ahead of him".The judge said the effect of the "tragedy" would "never diminish for his parents" and there was nothing which could ease their "life sentence of grief", adding: "No sentence can cure their unimaginable pain, grief and loss."