Abstract: An apparatus for use in the industry of shaping a sheet of fibres on a mould for the manufacture of a range of articles such as aircraft wings, in which a sheet or ribbon of glued or adhesive sized fibres is automatically shaped on the mould, the apparatus having an applicator (16) for engaging the fibre elements (7) on the mould (2) and, at a place immediately upstream, a wedge-shaped element (19) having a rounded edge and adapted to separate the top protective film (8) from the fibres prior to their engagement with the mould, and a slot (18) sized to the width of the film and operative to remove the same and to provide accurate guiding of the fibres immediately thereafter engaged on the mould.