A material supply apparatus configured to supply a material to a feeder or the like which takes out stacked materials one by one in order from the top so as to convey the material to a predetermined apparatus, comprising: a lift unit configured to load the materials and guided in an ascendable and descendable manner; a lift drive unit configured to drive the lift unit to ascend and descend; a support unit configured to receive the materials replenished from below by the lift unit , and to support the materials during a descent of the lift unit for replenishing materials, the support unit being guided in an ascendable and descendable manner; a support drive unit configured to drive the support unit to ascend and descend; a position detection unit configured to detect current height position information of the materials including a current height position of the uppermost surface of the materials; and characterized in that a control unit is configured to control the support drive unit so that the height position of the uppermost surface of the materials is maintained at a preliminarily registered height position based on the current height position information during the lift unit descent, and to control the lift drive unit so that the height position of the uppermost surface of the materials is maintained at a preliminarily registered height position based on the current height position information, during the support unit descent; wherein the control unit is further configured to control the lift drive unit so that the remaining materials supported by the support unit are put on the top of the replenished materials on the lift unit when the lift unit ascends while supporting the replenished materials, and thereafter to control the support drive unit so that the support unit descends and receives the replenished materials from the lift unit . a lift unit configured to load the materials and guided in an ascendable and descendable manner; a lift drive unit configured to drive the lift unit to ascend and descend; a support unit configured to receive the materials replenished from below by the lift unit , and to support the materials during a descent of the lift unit for replenishing materials, the support unit being guided in an ascendable and descendable manner; a support drive unit configured to drive the support unit to ascend and descend; a position detection unit configured to detect current height position information of the materials including a current height position of the uppermost surface of the materials; and characterized in that a control unit is configured to control the support drive unit so that the height position of the uppermost surface of the materials is maintained at a preliminarily registered height position based on the current height position information during the lift unit descent, and to control the lift drive unit so that the height position of the uppermost surface of the materials is maintained at a preliminarily registered height position based on the current height position information, during the support unit descent; wherein the control unit is further configured to control the lift drive unit so that the remaining materials supported by the support unit are put on the top of the replenished materials on the lift unit when the lift unit ascends while supporting the replenished materials, and thereafter to control the support drive unit so that the support unit descends and receives the replenished materials from the lift unit . <EOS>