Abstract: A method of joining a plurality of coils of strip material into a continuous strip and stacking the coils in a multi-coil arrangement is provided. A first coil is conveyed from a carry-in table by a transfer means to an exit side turn table and is designated as a forward coil. A first strip of material is pulled from the forward coil and supplied to a welding machine through an auxiliary guide roll and an exit side guide roll. A second coil is conveyed to an entry side turn table by the transfer means and designated as the rear coil. A second strip of material is pulled from the rear coil and supplied to the welding machine through an entry side guide roll. The first and second strips of material are welded together into a continuous strip of material. The rear coil is then moved to a stand-by position and sag is removed from the continuous strip of material by synchronously rotating the entry side guide roll, the exit side guide roll, the auxiliary guide roll and the exit side turn table.