February 18, 2018 in Glazing Industry by Rob Power

As with all industries nowadays, technology marches on when it comes to the utility of glass in your home. Triple glazing is becoming more common-place, as is Alu-clad, a product which allows for greater longevity and reduced maintenance. Energy retention is increasing all the time in concert with t [...]

February 5, 2018 in Glazing Industry by Rob Power

Discerning consumers today have developed a somewhat wise suspicion of the incessant updating of existing products. We are told that our razors need 5 blades now, four just won’t suffice. Toothbrushes are relentlessly updated to reach the parts that your antiquated yard brush has been neglecting for [...]

January 18, 2018 in Glazing Industry by Rob Power

Currently, for Aluclad windows you might be quoted turnaround times of anything between four to twelve weeks. The truth is that eight weeks is the norm for most companies these days. The average timeline is six weeks for timber and usually can be reduced to four for PvC. So why can some companies do [...]

August 18, 2017 in Glazing Industry by Rob Power

Schüco (sometime Schueco) is warmly referred to by Zyle Fenster’s Walter as the ‘Rolls Royce of glazing systems’. They are a German producer of windows, doors, sliders, curtain walling and absolutely everything in between. The Schüco system is a little bit special as far as windows go and frankly, c [...]

July 18, 2017 in Glazing Industry by Rob Power

Buying windows can be a tricky process and it is worth being as well informed as possible before making your decision. After all, if you make the right choice, they could be with you for a lifetime. Here are some important terms explained so you can embark on your window buying journey armed with so [...]

June 20, 2017 in Glazing Industry by Rob Power

Coming into the summer is a time when many people’s new homes are under construction, or indeed many existing homeowners begin to consider how they can upgrade their glazing before the upcoming winter. Although it is a busy season, Paul at Zyle Fenster UK found the time to sit down with us to talk a [...]

May 30, 2017 in Glazing Industry by Rob Power

Since Alu Clad windows have hit the scene a number of years ago, they have been growing steadily in popularity, and for good reason, which we will get into later. It is hardly surprising that it was a system born in the harsh conditions of Scandinavia, where necessity is the mother of invention when [...]

May 16, 2017 in Glazing Industry by Rob Power

Modern joinery techniques have greatly improved the quality and affordability of wood framed windows. While PVC is still popular, and indeed has improved in its own right, the love affair with it that was prevalent in nineties and noughties has given way to a resurgence in appreciation for the look [...]

May 2, 2017 in Glazing Industry by Rob Power

Whether you’re involved in the building industry, you’ve got a passing interest in building your own home, or you’re just a fan of Grand Designs; it is very likely that you have heard the phrase ‘Passive House’. The ubiquity of the term is down to the steady growth of the popularity of the building [...]

September 19, 2016 in Self Help by Rob Power

Our ability to maintain momentum in the face of adversity is such an important factor in ensuring that we get the most out of life. The vigour of our resilience can often be the difference between achieving a goal, or falling at the hurdles that we meet along the way. However, it is vital to recogni [...]

August 18, 2016 in Self Help by Rob Power

Accepting that you can't change the past, or other people's perceptions of you, but that you can change your own attitude and view of the world. Accept and embrace every experience in life, the good and not so good, as an opportunity to grow. Accept that you have the power to choose how you [...]

July 20, 2016 in Economics by Rob Power

The international Marketplace offers myriad possibilities for growth and profit, and as a result is a highly attractive prospect to many kinds of businesses. However there are many pitfalls and obstacles associated with becoming a multinational entity. To help you make the best decisions in this reg [...]

July 16, 2016 in Economics by Rob Power

Today Brazil has the tenth largest economy in the world but this is a relatively new situation by global economic standards. Between the years 2000 and 2012, Brazil ranked high amongst the fastest growing major economies in the world, achieving this through an average annual GDP growth surpassing 5% [...]

July 16, 2016 in Economics by Rob Power

In economic terms, there was scarcely a part of the world unaffected by the economic crash of 2008. The ripple effects were truly global though some countries fared worse than others. Ranked highly on all lists of countries most affected is Ireland. In fact the impact on Ireland was made far worse b [...]

June 18, 2016 in Economics by Rob Power

As long as I can remember I have been hearing people extoll the virtues of Japanese products, particularly automobiles. A belief solidified in my psyche having owned and extensively punished a Toyota Corolla over the course of fifteen years. I crashed it causing extensive damage, I drove across Euro [...]

May 20, 2016 in Self Help by Rob Power

The problem is the human brain is not hardwired for happiness, but for survival. Happiness should manifest itself as a bonus when the needs of survival have been met. However, modern society presents us with so many challenges, so much negativity, and in such a perpetually distracting way, that it i [...]

May 18, 2016 in Economics by Rob Power

It has been a while since there has been any positive news with regard to the Italian economy. This month, with the release of statistics for the first quarter of 2015, there is finally a glimmer of hope, a tiny green shoot in soil, the fertility of which was beginning to come into question. So afte [...]

April 21, 2016 in Self Help by Rob Power

To use a sporting analogy, life can be considered a game of two halves. The first half is so often suffused with chasing something - better grades at school and at college, leading to bigger jobs, better careers and bulkier bank balances. Much needs more, bigger is better, even more is even better. [...]

April 16, 2016 in Economics by Rob Power

While Napoleon’s fears are said to be based on the vast populations of poverty stricken citizens at a time when sheer numbers really meant something militarily, it is a different kind of force that China has used to shift the world on its axis in recent decades. Instead of vast armies, China now has [...]

February 22, 2016 in Self Help by Rob Power

We are wired to experience pleasure when we perform at, or close to, the best of our abilities – peak experience through peak performance. Through giving ourselves the opportunity to perform at our best, we can engender profound changes in our overall wellbeing. Through entering these states of flow [...]

January 18, 2016 in Economics by Rob Power

The world admires France in so many ways. Between Paris and the Riviera are a plethora of attractions that contribute to France being the most popular tourist destination in the world. There is scarcely a chef in the world who doesn’t hold dear the culinary traditions and cuisines of France. You can [...]

April 16, 2015 in Opinion by Rob Power

This particular piece of cliff face will be familiar to natives of both Waterford and Kilkenny who have, for many years, used it to express pride in their counties. Many a young hurling fan has gotten up at the crack of dawn to stealthily paint it white and blue or yellow and black. Tit for tat frie [...]