An apparatus for forming a carton containing a group of articles, the apparatus comprising: an article positioning system for positioning articles into a plurality of groups of articles and moving the groups of articles along a processing path; a blank handling apparatus for conveying a plurality of carton blanks towards the plurality of groups of articles, the blank handling apparatus comprising a presser assembly for pressing a respective carton blank of the plurality of carton blanks onto the tops of articles in a respective group of articles of the plurality of groups of articles as the respective carton blank engages the tops of the articles, each of the carton blanks having a leading flap; and a folding mechanism downstream of the blank handling apparatus for folding a portion of the ends of each respective carton blank downwardly around the respective group of articles, the folding mechanism comprising at least one leading lug for folding a leading end portion of the carton blank against the respective group of articles, at least one trailing lug for folding a trailing end portion of the carton blank against the respective group of articles, said leading lug comprising a head for contact with the said leading flap; characterized by a lug drive mechanism comprising a pair of chains operatively connected to at least one sprocket, and an outer cam track and an inner cam track, the at least one leading lug being pivotally connected to one of the pair of chains, the at least one leading lug comprises an outer cam follower, an inner cam follower, and an arm with said head for contact with the leading flap, as the at least one leading lug is moved around the sprocket by the chain, the movement of the outer cam follower in the outer cam track and the movement of the inner cam follower in the inner cam track sequentially pivots the arm until it is oriented substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the chain around the sprocket so that the head moves in a downward direction when the at least one leading lug is positioned for contact with the carton blank by the lug drive mechanism. an article positioning system for positioning articles into a plurality of groups of articles and moving the groups of articles along a processing path; a blank handling apparatus for conveying a plurality of carton blanks towards the plurality of groups of articles, the blank handling apparatus comprising a presser assembly for pressing a respective carton blank of the plurality of carton blanks onto the tops of articles in a respective group of articles of the plurality of groups of articles as the respective carton blank engages the tops of the articles, each of the carton blanks having a leading flap; and a folding mechanism downstream of the blank handling apparatus for folding a portion of the ends of each respective carton blank downwardly around the respective group of articles, the folding mechanism comprising at least one leading lug for folding a leading end portion of the carton blank against the respective group of articles, at least one trailing lug for folding a trailing end portion of the carton blank against the respective group of articles, said leading lug comprising a head for contact with the said leading flap;