Abstract: In a process and apparatus for winding a continuous webbing onto a windup spool wherein a webbing is fed from a supply direction to a rotatable feed drum, winding the webbing onto the feed drum, contacting the feed drum with a first windup spool for frictional rotational engagement therewith, when said first windup spool has a predetermined amount of webbing wound thereon ripping apart the webbing by forming a rip therein with the discharge pressure of a blast of air, and detaching the first windup spool from the engagement with the feed drum, the ripping of the webbing forming a leading edge at the rip in the webbing from the supply direction, winding the leading edge on a second windup spool, in that prior to the ripping, and at a location of the webbing when viewed from the supply direction before the second windup spool establishing rotational contact between the center of the webbing and a slitting wheel having a lateral slitting knife and an adhesive mounted thereon, rotating the slitting wheel in conta