Abstract: In a pressing apparatus for compressing a mass of fibrous material, such as cellulose pulp, into a bale and wrapping the resulting bale with wire or strip, there is used a bale press stand, a stationary first press plate and a second press plate movable toward and away from said press plate, together with means for moving said second press plate. The second press plate has a pressure-applying face constituted by a planar border surface normal to the direction of movement of said second press plate and a centrally disposed portion projecting 10-50 mm. from the plane of said border surface, for effecting a permanent depression, centrally in an end surface of a bale formed in said apparatus, facilitating the gripping and lifting of a wire or strip which is wrapped around a number of such bales.