Abstract: An apparatus for electrostatically applying a powder material to a solid dosage from includes a source (1) of charged powder material, a support assembly (2) for supporting the solid dosage form (3) with a front face in the vicinity of the source of powder material and facing the source of powder material, the support assembly (2) including an electrically conducting member (5) in the vicinity of the rear face of the solid dosage form and an electrically conducting shield (8) disposed closely around the solid dosage from (3) between the front face and the rear face of the solid dosage form, and means (4) for creating a potential difference between the source of powder material and the electrically conducting member and for maintaining the electrically conducting shield at a potential more similar to that of the source of powder material than to that of the electrically conducting member.