Abstract: This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the production of ribbed pipes. According to the method a plastic material is fed through an extruder into a pipe molding space (12) defined by an extrusion sleeve (4), a mandrel (9) and chill molds (1, 2) moving in the direction of the central axis of the mandrel. When the pressure of the molding space (12) deviates from a desired value, a gap is formed between the chill molds (1,2), and plastic material is squeezed into the gap, or grooves (13) of the chill molds are filled up incompletely. In order to restore the pressure to the proper value, the pressure of the material contained in the molding space is directly measured by means of a pressure sensor (14) which adjusts the speed of the extruder or the chill molds.