Abstract: In the process, a strip of containers made of a heat-formable material is guided through a deviated course in a transversal direction with respect to a main horizontal line of advance, in which the strip of containers undergoes, in sequence, a first rotation of a quarter of a full turn about a vertical-axis first guide, a first twist by half a full turn, a second rotation, by half a full turn, about a second guide having a winding axis which is parallel to the line of advance, returning towards the line of advance, a second twist by another half a full turn, and finally a third rotation about a vertical axis third guide. With this process, the longitudinal extension of the line of advance is reduced.