Method for picking up and placing a first tire component in a first tire component manufacturing line of a tire building assembly, wherein the first tire component manufacturing line comprises a supply system at an upstream end thereof, a cutting system at a downstream end thereof and a transfer drum with a circumferential surface and retaining elements for picking up and retaining the first tire component around the circumferential surface, wherein the method comprises the steps of: a) supplying a continuous length of the first tire component from the supply system in the downstream direction towards the cutting system, wherein the first tire component has a leading end facing in the downstream direction; b) positioning the transfer drum in a first pick up position at the leading end of the continuous length of the first tire component and picking up said leading end with the retaining elements; c) subsequently rotating the transfer drum in a first circumferential direction for winding a predetermined length of the continuous length of the first tire component around the circumferential surface of the transfer drum and retaining said predetermined length with the retaining elements; d) rotating the transfer drum in the opposite second circumferential direction, while at the same time moving the transfer drum downstream into a cutting position at the cutting system, wherein a part of the predetermined length of the first tire component is released from the retaining elements and is unwound from the circumferential surface onto the cutting system; e) cutting the unwound part of predetermined length of the first tire component at the cutting system to create a trailing end, thereby obtaining a cut-to-length first tire component; f) rotating the transfer drum again in the first circumferential direction for winding up the unwound part of the cut-to-length first tire component up to the trailing end. a) supplying a continuous length of the first tire component from the supply system in the downstream direction towards the cutting system, wherein the first tire component has a leading end facing in the downstream direction; b) positioning the transfer drum in a first pick up position at the leading end of the continuous length of the first tire component and picking up said leading end with the retaining elements; c) subsequently rotating the transfer drum in a first circumferential direction for winding a predetermined length of the continuous length of the first tire component around the circumferential surface of the transfer drum and retaining said predetermined length with the retaining elements; d) rotating the transfer drum in the opposite second circumferential direction, while at the same time moving the transfer drum downstream into a cutting position at the cutting system, wherein a part of the predetermined length of the first tire component is released from the retaining elements and is unwound from the circumferential surface onto the cutting system; e) cutting the unwound part of predetermined length of the first tire component at the cutting system to create a trailing end, thereby obtaining a cut-to-length first tire component; f) rotating the transfer drum again in the first circumferential direction for winding up the unwound part of the cut-to-length first tire component up to the trailing end.