An apparatus used to produce a defined layer pattern from a plurality of piece goods, the apparatus comprising - at least two horizontal conveying devices (10, 20, 30, 40), which can each transport piece goods and which have conveying directions oriented parallel to one another, - at least one formation belt disposed downstream in conveying direction from the at least two horizontal conveying devices (10, 20, 30, 40), the formation belt having a transport direction that is oriented parallel to the conveying directions, - a plurality of work systems (12, 22, 32, 42), which can receive piece goods being transported via the at least two horizontal conveying devices (10, 20, 30, 40), can rotate the piece goods about a vertical axis, and can offset the piece goods diagonally to the parallel conveying directions, wherein a) each of the at least two horizontal conveying devices (10, 20, 30, 40) has at least one own work system (12, 22, 32, 42) for receiving, rotating, and diagonal offsetting of its particular transported piece goods assigned to it, and wherein b) the plurality of work systems (12, 22, 32, 42) are in operative connection with each other by way of a control unit in order to produce a predefined formation on the at least one formation belt from a plurality of piece goods by means of rotation and/or diagonal offset of said piece goods, which are being transported by way of the at least two horizontal conveying devices (10, 20, 30, 40), characterised in that a working range of the own work system of the first horizontal conveying device extends over the at least one formation belt, the first horizontal conveying device, and an alignment belt, which follows directly in conveying direction upon the first horizontal conveying device. - at least two horizontal conveying devices (10, 20, 30, 40), which can each transport piece goods and which have conveying directions oriented parallel to one another, - at least one formation belt disposed downstream in conveying direction from the at least two horizontal conveying devices (10, 20, 30, 40), the formation belt having a transport direction that is oriented parallel to the conveying directions, - a plurality of work systems (12, 22, 32, 42), which can receive piece goods being transported via the at least two horizontal conveying devices (10, 20, 30, 40), can rotate the piece goods about a vertical axis, and can offset the piece goods diagonally to the parallel conveying directions, wherein a) each of the at least two horizontal conveying devices (10, 20, 30, 40) has at least one own work system (12, 22, 32, 42) for receiving, rotating, and diagonal offsetting of its particular transported piece goods assigned to it, and wherein b) the plurality of work systems (12, 22, 32, 42) are in operative connection with each other by way of a control unit in order to produce a predefined formation on the at least one formation belt from a plurality of piece goods by means of rotation and/or diagonal offset of said piece goods, which are being transported by way of the at least two horizontal conveying devices (10, 20, 30, 40), characterised in that a working range of the own work system of the first horizontal conveying device extends over the at least one formation belt, the first horizontal conveying device, and an alignment belt, which follows directly in conveying direction upon the first horizontal conveying device. a) each of the at least two horizontal conveying devices (10, 20, 30, 40) has at least one own work system (12, 22, 32, 42) for receiving, rotating, and diagonal offsetting of its particular transported piece goods assigned to it, and wherein b) the plurality of work systems (12, 22, 32, 42) are in operative connection with each other by way of a control unit in order to produce a predefined formation on the at least one formation belt from a plurality of piece goods by means of rotation and/or diagonal offset of said piece goods, which are being transported by way of the at least two horizontal conveying devices (10, 20, 30, 40), characterised in that a working range of the own work system of the first horizontal conveying device extends over the at least one formation belt, the first horizontal conveying device, and an alignment belt, which follows directly in conveying direction upon the first horizontal conveying device.