Abstract: There is disclosed a control device for a sleeve label forming and applying machine of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,496, for labelling bottles, which controls the number of sleeves being fabricated to correspond with the number of bottles going through the machine. The control includes a pivoted switch arm across the bottle path at the outlet from a timing worm loading bottles into the machine. The arm when engaged by a bottle actuates its switch in the control circuit for engaging and disengaging the power drive means operating the supply of the label stock to the sleeve fabricating mechanism of the machine. The first bottle and every bottle into the machine is assured to receive a sleeve label, and the last bottle receives the last sleeve label fabricated.