Steve Arnautoff
Middle East and Europe Associate Consultant
Flexible Film Packaging expert Ricardo Pinedo
Read more about our plastic film and extrusion manufacturing expert
Steve Arnautoff has worked in packaging and plastics for over 40 years. For 30 years he worked at Plastopil, a world leader in the development and manufacture of high barrier flexible food packaging. Since 2013 he has worked as an independent consultant, advising over 60 clients on a wide range of packaging and plastics-related issues such as materials selection, troubleshooting manufacturing processes, clarifying regulatory questions, and packaging sustainability. He is the coauthor of the Guide to Sustainable Packaging published by the Manufacturers Association of Israel in 2021
Experience
Sept. 2013 - Present
Independent consultant - Steve Arnautoff Technical Consulting
Assisted over 60 clients in a wide variety of assignments , among them:
  • Polymer specification 
  • Technology training 
  • Sourcing films for medical applications
  • Barrier film specification and sourcing
  • Testing methods
  • Regulatory guidance
  • Training of production staff
  • Training of sales staff
  • Literature reviews
  • Technology sourcing
  • Coextruded film formulation
  • Overview of competitive landscape
  • QC guidance
  • Overview of compostable packaging technologies and markets
  • Overview of recycling regulations and certification schemes
  • Overview of antibacterial additives for use in films 
  • Analysis of regulatory environment for antibacterial films
  • Improving cast stretch film quality
  • Improving blown shrink film quality
  • Design of coextruded barrier film for medical application
  • Recommendation of less expensive polymers for replacing silicone in medical fitment
  • Analysis of options for producing ovenable films
  • Designing coextruded and laminated compostable films
  • Overview of certification of compostability of packaging
  • Contact with testing labs and certifiers of compostability
  • Sourcing compostable polymers
  • Locating subcontractors for film production 
  • Sourcing lab equipment
  • Advising QA/QC regarding testing methods 
  • Writing newsletter devoted to compostable polymers, packaging, regulations, competition, patents etc.
  • Overseeing lab-line extrusion trials and commercial line trials and production runs
  • Analysis of quality issues in compostable films
  • Planning and overseeing orientation trials of coextruded compostable films.
  • Overview of compostable trays 
  • Overview of compostable cling film
  • Analysis of regulatory revision detrimental to client’s geosyntheticsg product and recommendation of solution.
  • Overview of packaging options for extending shelf-life of plant-based “meat” products.

2001 - 2013:
Senior Project Manager in Product Development - Plastopil
  • Technical product manager of coextruded and laminated films for bag-in-box, hot lamination, medical applications, IDP for electronics packaging, compostable films.
  • Establishment and maintenance of an internal data base covering raw materials, production technologies, packaging technologies, food science and market intelligence. 
  • Coordination of technical meetings with raw material suppliers. 
  • Preparation of performance specifications for multi-million-dollar coextrusion lines purchased in 2004, 2007 and 2010. Led teams that traveled to machinery suppliers in the US, Canada, China and Germany to assess line performance. 
  • Established and maintained dialog with leading manufacturers of blown film technology.
  • Assisted the quality control lab in locating, specifying and trouble-shooting analytical and testing equipment. 
  • Gave technical assistance to sales and quality assurance regarding compliance with various European and US regulations regarding food packaging and chemicals (such as PIM, REACH). 
  • Designed an in-house regulatory database to allow swift production of documentation for demonstrating compliance with EU food contact regulations.

​1993 - 1994:
Product Development Manager - Plastopil

1986 - 1992:
Project Manager in Product Development - Plastopil

1982 - 1985
Extrusion Department Manager - Plastopil

1979 - 1981
Shift Manager in Extrusion Department - Plastopil

1975 - 1978
Shift Manager at Jason Products - US blown film manufacturer

1973 - 1975
Extruder Operator, Shift Leader - Plastopil

Education
BA and MA studies at University of Haifa, Israel, 1995-2000