Apparatus and method for stitching together leading end and trailing end of a tire component

An apparatus for stitching a leading end of a tire component to a trailing end of the same or another tire component along a splice line above a working surface, which working surface is arranged to support the respective one or two tire components, wherein the apparatus comprises a separator for in a separation position separating the leading end and the trailing end from the working surface to form a separation space, wherein the apparatus comprises a stitcher unit with a stitcher foot that is arranged to support the leading end and the trailing end at the splice line from the separation space and a stitcher head that is arranged for stitching the leading end and the trailing end on the stitcher foot from outside the separation space, wherein the stitcher unit comprises a stitcher drive for driving the stitcher unit in a stitching direction along the splice line while the stitcher unit stitches the leading end to the trailing end and a separator drive that is coupled to the separator for retracting the separator in the stitching direction parallel to the splice line, wherein the apparatus further comprises a control unit that is operationally connected to and arranged to control the separator drive and the stitcher drive simultaneously such that, during the stitching, the separator is retracted in the stitching direction ahead of the stitcher unit.