Abstract: Substantially cylindrical items are stacked in layers on a pallet. One or more sheets of paper, foil, or webbing is laid out on and around the items in a pattern of loops in such a way that the weight of the items themselves acting on the sheet locks the items in place on the pallet, with no need for the sheet to be attached to the pallet. A pick-up arrangement is provided for fetching the items from a supply area, and then placing them in layers onto the pallet. The tension in the paper sheet is controlled to optimize the locking effect while reducing the risk of over-tensioning.