Abstract: An infeed slug loader provides for the formation of stacks or slugs of individual articles, and transfers the completed slugs to a wrapping machine. The present slug loader may be used to assemble stacks or slugs of various relatively small and flat articles, but is particularly well suited for handling food articles such as cookies, crackers, and the like. The slug loader accepts articles delivered sequentially on a delivery conveyor, and stacks them on a slope by using a turnover wheel which inserts each unit of the stack from the bottom. The use of a slope for slug assembly, obviates the need for a leading retainer for the slug at this point. The turnover wheel is mechanically linked to the infeed conveyor, with a trailing finger or pin picking up the bottom of the slug when a predetermined number of units have been stacked to form the slug. The slug is then pushed up the slope to a horizontal run, where a retractable lead finger or pin extends to hold the front end of the slug.