Equipment and method for packaging multiple packets of cigarettes

A machine for sleeving one or more individual packages of smoking articles, each package sealed with a polymeric film, the machine comprising:

• a sleeve handling system comprising a sleeve roller assembly, a sleeve folding station, and a cutting station located between the sleeve roller assembly and the sleeve folding station, the sleeve roller assembly comprising one or more rolls of continuous sleeve material and configured to move the sleeve material from the roll and to the sleeve folding station, the cutting station configured to sever a blank from the sleeve material, the sleeve folding station configured to receive the blank of sleeve material and orient said blank to be foldable around at least one individual package;
• a transfer unit configured to receive and move a plurality of individual package to the sleeve folding station;
• and
• a drive train, wherein the transfer unit is coupled to the drive train and configured to cause the at least one individual package to contact the blank at the sleeve folding station.

A method of sleeving one or more individual packages of smoking articles with a sleeve, each individual package sealed with a polymeric film, the method comprising:

• feeding successive individual packages along a transfer unit to a sleeve folding station;
• feeding a blank of sleeve material to an adhesive applicator, the blank being sized to wrap at least one individual package;
• applying adhesive to a first portion of the blank of sleeve material;
• moving the at least one individual package against the blank of sleeve material having the adhesive into a pocket;
• and
• folding the blank of sleeve material around the at least one individual package so that the first portion is pressed against a second portion in order to form a sleeved individual package of smoking articles.