A machine arrangement that operates on a plurality of articles, such as bottles, includes a plurality of machines arranged in a machine arrangement. At least one of the machines includes an apparatus configured to modify the articles by at least one of moving, holding, manipulating and shaping the articles as they pass from an article infeed to an article discharge of the machine arrangement. A recirculation mechanism moves articles from a downstream machine after a first pass (or run) and recirculates the articles back to an upstream machine in a second (recirculation) pass (or run) so that the articles, which are recirculated through the second pass are again subjected to a different machine modifying operation in at least one machine that the articles have previously passed in the first pass. The articles move continuously through the first and second passes while being subjected to at least one machine modifying operation.