The invention provides an apparatus and a method for economically forming packing unit layers. The apparatus comprises at least one supply conveyor, at least one further conveyor and an exit conveyor. Furthermore, at least one gripper for positioning and/or turning the packing units is associated with the further conveyor. The positioned and/or turned packing units are brought together to form form-fitting packing unit layers by a suitable device on the at least one exit conveyor. The at least one gripper is configured in such a way that is can be used to position and/or turn at least one packing unit and that at least one further packing unit can be placed on the positioned and/or turned packing unit in the same orientation.