Apparatus for the tobacco processing industry for connecting an outgoing metal-containing material web with an incoming new metal-containing material web, comprising - an arrangement consisting of two segments (32, 34) which, while forming an intermediate space for receiving an arrangement of overlying material webs (12a, 12b) to be connected including an outgoing metal-containing material web and an incoming new metal-containing material web, are spaced apart from one another and each comprise an end face (32a, 34a), wherein at least one of the segments (32, 34) is movably mounted and can be brought into a working position in which its end face is opposite to the end face of the other segment at a minimum distance while including the arrangement of the material webs (12a, 12b) to be connected, - a drive device (38, 39) for moving the at least one segment (32, 34), - an electric welding device comprising a first electrode arrangement of the one polarity and a second electrode arrangement of the other polarity, wherein the end face of the one segment is at least provided with a portion of the first electrode arrangement and the end face of the other segment is at least provided with a portion of the second electrode arrangement and, in the working position of the segments (32, 34), the electric welding device is configured to effect a welding operation for connecting the material webs (12a, 12b), and - a control device configured to control the drive device (38, 39) such that the at least one movably mounted segment (32, 34) is brought into the working position and then taken out of the working position, - characterised in that the control device is configured to adapt the at least one movably mounted segment (32, 34) with its end face (32a, 34a) to a movement of the arrangement of the material webs (12a, 12b) to be connected in such a way that, in the working position, the at least one movably mounted segment (32, 34) with its end face (32a, 34a) is moved at approximately synchronous speed and approximately parallel to the arrangement of the material webs (12a, 12b) to be connected. - an arrangement consisting of two segments (32, 34) which, while forming an intermediate space for receiving an arrangement of overlying material webs (12a, 12b) to be connected including an outgoing metal-containing material web and an incoming new metal-containing material web, are spaced apart from one another and each comprise an end face (32a, 34a), wherein at least one of the segments (32, 34) is movably mounted and can be brought into a working position in which its end face is opposite to the end face of the other segment at a minimum distance while including the arrangement of the material webs (12a, 12b) to be connected, - a drive device (38, 39) for moving the at least one segment (32, 34), - an electric welding device comprising a first electrode arrangement of the one polarity and a second electrode arrangement of the other polarity, wherein the end face of the one segment is at least provided with a portion of the first electrode arrangement and the end face of the other segment is at least provided with a portion of the second electrode arrangement and, in the working position of the segments (32, 34), the electric welding device is configured to effect a welding operation for connecting the material webs (12a, 12b), and - a control device configured to control the drive device (38, 39) such that the at least one movably mounted segment (32, 34) is brought into the working position and then taken out of the working position, - characterised in that the control device is configured to adapt the at least one movably mounted segment (32, 34) with its end face (32a, 34a) to a movement of the arrangement of the material webs (12a, 12b) to be connected in such a way that, in the working position, the at least one movably mounted segment (32, 34) with its end face (32a, 34a) is moved at approximately synchronous speed and approximately parallel to the arrangement of the material webs (12a, 12b) to be connected.