The process for making a molded article from a nonflowable mixture of chip and/or fiber material and a thermally hardenable binder, includes pressing the mixture in a press with a mold closed on all its sides, hardening the mixture in the mold with thermal energy, and feeding a hot gas, especially steam, in the mixture during the pressing to supply at least a portion of the thermal energy required for hardening. To heat and harden the molded article in a minimum time, the hot gas is fed into the mixture in a direction substantially perpendicular to the pressing direction. Introduction of steam begins at least as soon as the onset of the pressing, but ends prior to the end of the pressing. A suitable apparatus for performing this process is described in which the mold cavity has walls containing feed ducts for the hot gas which feed the gas perpendicular to the pressing direction.