a guide device for arranging a lateral strapping element and a longitudinal strapping element around the packaged item, the longitudinal strapping element and the lateral strapping element crossing one another at a crossover location to define a crossover area, the lateral strapping element and the longitudinal strapping element each having first and second end portions, the guide device arranging the first end portion of the lateral strapping element to overlap the second end portion of the lateral strapping element to define a lateral overlap area and the first end portion of the longitudinal strapping element to overlap the second end portion of the longitudinal strapping element to define a longitudinal overlap area; and

a sealing stamp sized and located to cover one of (a) at least a portion of the lateral overlap area and the longitudinal overlap area proximate the crossover area, and (b) at least a portion of the crossover area and at least a portion of one of the lateral overlap area and the longitudinal overlap area proximate the crossover area, the sealing stamp comprising a mechanism for mechanically welding the first and second end portions of the lateral strapping element to one another and the first and second end portions of the longitudinal strapping element to one another.