A drier for drying wet material, especially particulate material, includes a drying chamber with a plurality of heating region regions and a plurality of drying regions, alternatively located along the path of the material through the drier. Each of the heating regions is heated with heating fluid by a heating recirculation system wherein the heating fluid overall flows generally concurrently with the material relative to the chamber, but wherein the heating fluid can flow in various ways within each heating region. A fluid circulation system flows drying fluid through each of the drying regions generally countercurrent flow relative to the flow of material through the drier, although the drying fluid can flow in various ways within each drying compartment. The drying fluid exiting the drier is used to preheat the heating fluid exiting the drier prior to the heating fluid reentering the drier. Makeup heat is supplied to the system.