Abstract: A press comprises a drum having a heated outer surface and rotatable about an axis and at least one endless belt radially juxtaposed with a portion of the outer drum surface and consisting mainly of an elastically deformable matrix and a plurality of parallel, twisted, and generally annular multifilament cords axially spaced from one another and formed of yarns of an aromatic polyamide imbedded in the matrix. The belt is tensioned and thereby urged radially toward the drum-surface portion. Thus the belt and the drum-surface portion form an angularly extending pressing region. A web to be compressed is fed tangentially to one end of the pressing region and is withdrawn it from the other end thereof. A drive rotates the drum and thereby displaces the web and the belt angularly along the portion so that the web is compressed against and heated by the drum. The cords according to this invention are formed as cables.