Reliable, high-performing press sections for best quality

Valmet press sections for board and paper machines

Shoe press press section in paper machine

Trend towards lower basis weights, higher speeds, lower-grade raw material, closed production cycles, and demands for further improvements in printability place special demands on press section configurations. Valmet’s press section solutions are designed to ensure the consistent levels of efficiency required for high quality and runnability.

Discover Valmet press section solutions

Get to know our two press section product families: OptiPress press sections and IntelliPress press sections. Click on the links below to read and find out more of our press section solutions.

Wet pressing

The task of the paper machine press section is to remove water, primarily through wet pressing. Wet pressing increases sheet dryness in order to ensure adequate paper machine drying capacity and to improve web runnability at the beginning of the dryer section. The press section also has a major impact on sheet surface properties such as roughness and absorption, and indirectly also on bulk.

Shoe press for improved runnability and capacity increase

Shoe press technology has been used successfully in board and paper production for many years. Valmet’s SymBelt shoe press significantly improves quality and adds dewatering capacity in the press section with fewer press nips. The resulting high dryness gives high wet web strength, which is important in minimizing breaks in the open draw to the dryer section.

Want to talk to our press section experts?

If you wish to get further information like technical specifications, need a quotation, or wish to discuss different solutions, fill in the contact form and our experts will contact you shortly.

Contact our experts

Wet end pilot trials

We offer the opportunity to experiment and develop paper and board products and processes at Valmet Paper Technology Center without having to put your own production on hold. This is very cost-efficient compared to expensive tests in your own production. You can follow the activities in the trials on site or remotely through live streaming cameras.

Valmet Paper Technology Center provides the world's most comprehensive offering of testing and piloting services to paper and board manufacturers worldwide. Our pilot facilities have the entire process covered, from stock preparation to coatings and everything between, providing customers with excellent service and reliable results to support investment decisions.

Contact our pilot trial experts

Learn more about OptiPress press sections

OptiPress Linear

OptiPress Linear, a double-nip press section with shoe press and a linear web run, is an ideal solution to fulfill papermakers’ requirements for effective wet pressing. Runnability bottlenecks have been removed with intelligent design - using shoe press technology, full-width tail threading, and having no open draws.

OptiPress Center

Center roll based press section is a reliable, well-known concept combining close to 40 years of pressing technology experience with modern shoe press technology. A shoe press replaces a roll just before the first open draw. The resulting boost in dryness thus fully benefits web runnability in the open draw.

Metal belt technology

Pressing with metal belt technology boosts production capacity by eliminating unsupported open draws. It also increases the dry content after the press by up to 6 % due to more effective water removal at the press nip and evaporation over the hot metal belt. Furthermore, it improves several end product qualities, such as strength and porosity.

Learn more about IntelliPress press sections

IntelliPress Linear

The IntelliPress Linear with IntelliNip Shoe Module technology provides high press dryness and bulk on desired levels with low drying energy consumption and reduced CO2 emissions. Elimination of the open draws increases runnability and paper strength properties. Innovative and high-quality components maximize water removal, reducing rewetting and keeping optimal moisture profiles. The IntelliPress Linear with IntelliNip Shoe Module technology provides high press dryness and bulk on desired leve...

IntelliPress TriNip

IntelliPress TriNip is a compact concept for lighter grades with one side web smoothness. Optimal pressing minimizes drying energy. The Valmet IntelliPress TriNip consists of three presses combined into a compact design. The first nip is double felted and controls bulk. The second nip is single felted and controls dewatering and provides an easy transfer to the center roll surface. The third nip is equipped with the IntelliNip Shoe Module generating the contact pressure and an optimized residenc...

Watch our press section related reference and product videos

See all press section related videos here

VPK Group’s grade conversion in Alizay

Sep 24, 2024

Watch the video to find out more on how VPK Group successfully transformed their Alizay mill in France. Originally producing fine paper grades, the mill’s paper machine has been rebuilt to produce recycled lightweight containerboard grades with less emissions. Cooperation has been the key to success.

Mondi Ružomberok PM19 - From OCC to board

Jun 7, 2023

Join us on an exciting journey at Mondi Ružomberok's state-of-the-art paper machine PM19! Discover how they turn recycled fibers into high-quality containerboard with Valmet's innovative technology.

Board and Paper Pilot Trials at Valmet Paper Technology Center in Jyväskylä

Sep 12, 2022

Experience our Board and Paper pilot facility in Jyväskylä, Finland, where you can pilot and test latest paper machine technologies. The board and paper pilot facility has two pilot machines, machine sections from headbox to drying and it covers all paper and board grades.

100% recycled containerboard making line at Pratt Industries in the US, Valparaiso

Apr 11, 2019

Pratt Industries has invested in 100% recycled board production line supplied by Valmet. The PM 16 OptiConcept M board machine in Valparaiso, Indiana had an extremely fast and smooth start-up in 2015.

Read our latest customer success stories about Valmet press section deliveries

See all press section related articles

Optimized for high efficiency and low consumption

Jun 30, 2025

PM 1 at Sun Paper’s Beihai mill is a fine paper production line and a showcase for Sun Paper’s pulp and paper integration strategy.

Yueyang Forest & Paper’s papermaking line PM 11: World record start-up through great cooperation

Jun 11, 2025

In response to evolving market demand and national policies, Yueyang Forest & Paper decided to seize an opportunity by investing in a new papermaking line, PM 11. This state-of-the-art machine line, with an annual production capacity of 450,000 tonnes of uncoated woodfree paper, includes a complete stock preparation line and a full paper machine, from headbox to reel and winders.

Papeles y Conversiones de México partners with Valmet to optimize machine efficiency with successful press section rebuild

May 22, 2025

Enhanced performance and partnership: Celebrating the success of the PM 1 press section rebuild with PCM.

Ensuring board quality with multiple coating stations in JK Paper Limited BM 5

May 5, 2025

JK Paper Limited invested in a new coated board making line BM 5 at their Songadh mill in India. The 4.25-meter-wide board machine, which started up in 2021, produces folding boxboard and solid bleached board. Despite the delays and challenges caused by the global pandemic, now, three years later, the results are good: the quality of the board has been excellent, and the efficiency of the mill has improved.

Practical collaboration and efficient production for high quality

Apr 22, 2025

Shandong Bohui Paper’s huge new flagship papermaking line PM 8 produces premium-quality product with new levels of efficiency. Valmet delivered the entire papermaking line, including all automation and flow control solutions.

Aiming for net-zero with every decision – VPK Group’s grade conversion in Alizay, France

Sep 23, 2024

After successful collaboration in converting their Strasbourg mill in 2013, VPK again trusted Valmet with their grade conversion project in Alizay. Their paper machine now produces recycled lightweight containerboard grades with less emissions.

Liansheng Pulp and Paper: big success with PM 1 carton board and PM 3 high-grade fine paper lines

Feb 27, 2024

Living up to expectations, Liansheng’s PM 1 carton board and PM 3 high-grade fine paper production lines have been recognized as a success not only by Liansheng, but also by their customers.

Guangdong Shanying: dedicated to intelligent, low-carbon manufacturing

Dec 13, 2023

With their new PM 52 and PM 53 lines, Guangdong Shanying aims to meet their low-carbon goals while setting industry benchmarks for intelligent manufacturing. Close cooperation with Valmet has enabled rapid start-up and exceptional efficiency.

Wet end rebuilds

Rebuilding a paper or board machine, or a section of it, can improve the competitiveness of your business and your processes. But where do you start? Over the years, we have gathered plenty of experience and expertise in rebuilding all kinds of machines. We asked our experts to provide tips, advice and industry insight to help you demystify the rebuild process and created a practical guide book.

Download our e-book to learn how to develop a winning rebuild concept, how to minimize rebuild related risks, and how to ensure smooth ramp up to full production.

Download rebuild guide

Valmet downloadable Rebuild guide cover and spread

Services and automation solutions for press sections

Press improvements

With an improvement process you can reduce your cost per tonne produced through savings in raw materials, energy, and maintenance costs. We offer a variety of customized solutions that will improve the dry content of the pressed sheet, solve runnability problems, and address a variety of press section issues.

Press felts

Valmet's press felts are always tailor-made to the specifications of each individual board and paper machine and position: paper grade, furnish, speed, dimensions. The proven world class press felt manufacturing technology ensures that our press felts respond to the highest customer expectations. High quality Valmet Press Felts deliver results in terms of lifetime, energy savings, sheet dryness and reliability.

Shoe press belts

Valmet Black Belt is a unique shoe press belt made of high performance elastomer material reinforced with dimensionally stable synthetic yarns. The belt is available in different reinforcing structures and surface options to fulfill the demands of every shoe press. Black Belt is wear, chemical and heat resistant which ensures long and trouble free running.

Workshop and roll services

How does your business sound like? Hopefully, there are no roll related vibrations, annoying production breaks or disturbing shutdowns. Valmet Workshop and Roll Services offer a winning combination of the latest roll technology and maintenance expertise. We help you eliminate unplanned shutdowns, increase the running times of rolls, improve the end product quality and lower the roll maintenance costs in long-term.

Cleaning

If your target is to produce a uniform, high-quality web, having a clean machine is essential. Our family of cleaning devices helps you to keep your fabrics and rolls clean during production. The benefits of effective cleaning are reduced break and a more stable process. Our cleaning solutions are easy to operate and maintain, and they are adjustable for a variety of cleaning needs. They are also environmentally friendly as there is no need to use cleaning chemicals.

State-of-the-art software for ultimate quality control

The most important task of the controls and optimizations is to provide the capability to produce stable quality efficiently at economical optimum. Valmet IQ Applications are the core of the system with clear user interface and intelligent control applications which allow you to manage the machine line performance. Efficient user experience gives a clear view of process performance and product quality, at all times.

Explore our latest board and paper press releases

See all board and paper press releases