Abstract: DIP tube handling apparatus including an input hopper 62 suitable for containing a quantity of randomly oriented DIP container tubes, agitating, singulating and metering means 34 at the bottom of the hopper 12 for causing one tube at a time to leave the hopper 12 under the influence of gravity, a pair of walking beams 26, 28 for moving the singulated DIP tube to an orientation station, an orientation device 30 for orienting the tubes so that the tubes and DIPs contained therein are positioned top side up, a tube inclining means 110 for causing the tube to be inclined so that DIPs may slide therefrom under the influence of gravity, either into the tube from a supply chute or out of the tube into a discharge chute, and an output hopper 14 for receiving tubes that have been loaded or unloaded.