an apparatus for providing batches of a mouldable , fibre - reinforced thermoplastic material matched to a moulding to be produced and accompanied by heating , wherein a free - flowing initial product of fibres and thermoplastic material - containing binders are heated as a strand and a matched batch is separated from the strand and supplied to batch further processing . the apparatus includes a melting device with a melting channel , through which the material to be processed is pressed as a continuous strand , as well as a cooling station .