An apparatus for forming air-laid absorbent cores, having a first and second mat-forming wheel, means for transferring a core element on the first mat-forming wheel onto a core element on the second mat-forming wheel while the latter core element still is maintained in its mold. The apparatus has means for applying a protective layer to the bottom of each mold of the second mat-forming wheel, means for applying a web of casing material on the peripheral surface of the first mat-forming wheel, means for guiding said web of casing material onto the periphery of the second mat-forming wheel, and means for changing the synchronization of the mat-forming wheels in order to control the time at which the leading edge of a mold on one of the mat-forming wheels passes the nip. A method of producing cores with different sizes without change of molds.
