Abstract: A positioning apparatus for positioning and retaining an edge protector at an edge of a package to be looped with a strapping comprising an edge protector magazine for retaining stacked, nested edge protectors including a magazine delivery station for systematically dispensing individual edge protectors to be dispensed, a saddle shuttle assembly for transporting each individual edge protector from the magazine delivery station to the edge of the package, the saddle shuttle assembly including at least one forwardly extending clip orienting and retaining each individual edge protector on the saddle shuttle assembly while it is being transported to the package edge, a pusher for selectively driving an edge protector from the magazine delivery station onto the saddle shuttle assembly, the pusher including a pushing surface normal to the longitudinal axis of the edge protector and a device to reciprocate the pusher between the magazine delivery station and the saddle shuttle assembly and a retainer bar for applyin