Abstract: An extended nip press has a heated backing roll, on the surface of which a paper web is preheated before it passes through the extended nip. The paper web is restrained on the surface of the backing roll to achieve post-pressing drying. During a portion of the post-pressing drying, the extended nip press may be arranged so that the paper web is not backed by the pressing/drying felt, thus allowing free venting from the web to occur. In some cases, this zone will be augmented by a vacuum assist unit to draw steam away. This high temperature press is capable of outgoing dryness in the range of sixty-five percent versus fifty percent for conventional technology. This combination of high temperature pressing and drying can be expected to improve the maximum strength of the web by approximately 20 percent or more over conventional pressing methods. Two high temperature press dryers of this invention may be combined to achieve outgoing dryness of approximately seventy percent.