Abstract: The operating speed of apparatus for opening and guiding a flat-folded tube of plastic wrapping film, especially a tube of heat shrinkable plastic film, which include a spreader mandrel for opening the tube and drive rollers or belts for transporting and guiding the tube over the spreader mandrel, is increased, and the overall efficiency of operation of the apparatus is improved, by providing an extension piece with a pair of driving rollers or belts which operate independently of the driving rollers associated with the spreader mandrel, at the downstream end of the mandrel. By cutting the tube at the downstream end of the mandrel, after the tube is conveyed over the extension piece and in contact with the extension piece drive rollers or belts, the cut tube section can be slid over the objects to be packaged at rates of from 2 to 5 times faster than previously possible. The extension piece can be fixedly mounted to the mandrel or it may be oscillatingly suspended from the mandrel.