A process and apparatus for guiding and keeping a material web spread out uses a spreading roll and with contact pressure elements and a control member controlled by a control system monitors the control path in a way such that the spacing of the contact pressure elements from the spreading roll is varied. Because of the advantages that the control path has in the present case, a rapid and stable control of the position of the material web is assured. This is advantageous especially in connection with highly sensitive material webs such as, for example, wide-meshed textile webs.