It is well known that the packaging industry is one of the most dynamic and continually changing industries in the world. This changing nature is a result of the universe in which the industry operates. Several macro economic factors have forced the industry to be one which continually changes. Packaging Manufacturers have no choice but to adapt in order to meet the demands of various influences if they wish to survive in the industry. This rate of adaptation will continue far into the future and is something embedded in the core of the packaging industry.

One of the big influences, which are sure to change packaging in the future, is environmentalism. Environmental pressures have played a massive part in the packaging industry for many years however the environment seems more relevant that ever in contemporary times. The best example of recent environmental pressure which is sure to make the packaging industry change in the near future is the move towards bottled water drinking. The rapid increase of bottled water drinkers has lead to a large increase in the amount of waste plastic bottles piling up in landfills. Whilst recycling is one way to solve this issue there is little doubt that packaging manufacturers will have to think of new ideas in order to help the decline of waste plastic bottles.

Another of the big influences on the packaging industry which will cause change in the future is new consumer needs. There has been a change in trends with regards to what consumers want from packaging. In family situations people are starting to buy food in larger more value sized packages. This presents a new issue as packaging manufacturers have to think of ways to use minimal packaging to seal larger portions. Also there has been a change towards the need for re-sealable packaging. Whilst this development is not all that new for some products re-sealable packaging is being demanded for several products which have never been provided with re-sealable packaging before.

A final influence which is causing changes in the packaging industry is laws and industry regulations. As discussed before the environment has a massive impact of the packaging industry and new laws have been brought in with regards to recycling. This means that packaging manufactures have no choice but to ensure that their packages are easily recyclable. Recycling is already in place but new regulations will come to pass involving re-clamation. Re-clamation means that certain parts of packaging which can be used again will be sent back to the manufacture. This mostly applies to large products; however it is likely that most products will have to adapt to include an element of re-clamation within their packaging.

The requirements of an industrial PC are therefore a lot different to that of the needs for an office computer. The needs of an industrial computer will also vary dramatically depending on the industry itself. Computers used in food manufacture may have to be waterproof and intrinsically sealed to prevent explosions in potentially explosive and dusty atmospheres whilst also being made of stainless steel or other easy to clean material; yet computers in heavy industry may have to also protect from dust and dirt but be able to withstand excessive temperatures, knocks and vibrations.

Demands are high for computing in industry. Industrial machines have to cope with many hostile elements whilst also providing reliable computing. Traditionally industrial computers have been specific, bespoke machines. These industrial computers tend to run old hardware and versions of software. Whilst this has the advantage of making the machines stable and reliable, the out-dated technology may mean the processes controlled by the machine are not done as efficiently. These machines are also very expensive and have to be replaced periodically as the hardware and software will eventually become obsolete.

A better solution to the varied and extreme demands of computing in industry is to use just a conventional PC but housed in an industrial PC enclosure. This has all the benefit of a traditional industrial computer such as being able to withstand dirt, grime, dust, gas, knocks, bangs, heat and cold whilst having the flexibility of a normal PC. Allowing you to choose, repair, replace or upgrade your machine rather than awaiting an engineer. These enclosures can also be reused and will last longer than an industrial PC which will eventually fail. However, the enclosure can be reused long after the original computer will have expired.

With the demands of industrial computing so variable and extreme, industrial PC enclosures offer a flexibility that even conventional industrial computer can fail to match whilst also offering the same protection and reliability for a fraction of the cost. PC enclosures are ideal for even the most hostile industrial environment and while specialist PCs will always be required for certain tasks the majority of uses for an industrial computer can be achieved using a conventional PC housed in an enclosure.