This invention relates to handling apparatus and methods and in particular, but not exclusively, to the handling of groups of battery plates.Thus handling apparatus 10 includes a main upright 11 supporting a transport mechanism 12 from which depends a plurality of spaced gripping devices 13. These devices are used to remove groups of battery plates from a jig box 14 to hold the plates in their alignment while moving them to a position 17 where they can be loaded in to the cells 18 of a battery box 19. A guide 21 is provided for providing the plates in to the cells 18. The loading procedure is carried out in two stages, a first set of cells being loaded in the first operation and a second set in the second operation.