We explain how to obtain new classical integrable field theories by assembling two affine Gaudin models into a single one. We show that the resulting affine Gaudin model depends on a parameter γ in such a way that the limit γ → 0 corresponds to the decoupling limit. Simple conditions ensuring Lorentz invariance are also presented. A first application of this method for σ-models leads to the action announced in [1] and which couples an arbitrary number N of principal chiral model fields on the same Lie group, each with a Wess-Zumino term. The affine Gaudin model descriptions of various integrable σ-models that can be used as elementary building blocks in the assembling construction are then given. This is in particular used in a second application of the method which consists in assembling N − 1 copies of the principal chiral model each with a Wess-Zumino term and one homogeneous Yang-Baxter deformation of the principal chiral model.are expressed in terms of dual bases of g. Here I a n := I a ⊗ t n ∈ g and I a,−n := I a ⊗ t −n ∈ g, while k is the central element of g and d is the derivation element corresponding to the homogeneous gradation of g. In this article we focus on the local realisation of affine Gaudin models, using the terminology of [4], whereby the first tensor factor of J (i) is realised in terms of g-valued connections on the circle and the central elements k (i) are realised as complex numbers i i , called the levels. Explicitly, under this realisation we haveis a g-valued field on the circle with J a(i) (x) := n∈Z I a(i) n e −inx . The Kostant-Kirillov bracket (1.1) for the infinite basis I a(i) translates to the statement that the J (i) (x) are pairwise Poisson commuting Kac-Moody currents with levels i . The Lax matrix of the local affine Gaudin model thus takes the form ϕ(z)∂ x + Γ(z, x) where 2.2 Lax matrix, Hamiltonian and integrability 2.2.1 Lax matrix and twist function Position of the sites. In addition to the Takiff datum defining its algebra of observables T , a local AGM depends on other parameters, including the positions of the sites. These are points z α ∈ R, for α ∈ Σ r and z α ∈ C, for α ∈ Σ c