An apparatus and method for joining a leading and a trailing end of one or more strip-shaped members, the apparatus includes: a working surface including a butt line, an arranging device for arranging the leading and trailing end of the member(s) at the butt line, a stitching device for pushing the leading and trailing ends against each other to obtain a butt splice, a transfer device for moving a separator strip onto and away from the working surface, wherein the separator strip is a flat strip including a splice band of a flexible material and a first release surface at a side which faces away from the working surface, and wherein the apparatus is arranged for pulling the separator strip from underneath the butt spliced strip-shaped member(s).