A description is provided of a process for producing long products with a moisture content of less than approximately 14% by weight and particularly approximately 11 to 13% by weight, the long product leaving the press head in the form of soft, moist-plastic dough strands being guided in suspended manner up to the final drying through varyingly heated climate zones and at the end of the drying process, the long product is cooled and/or dimensionally stabilized in a further climate zone. The long product leaving the press head is heated as rapidly as possible in a first climate zone, but in more than 10 minutes to a temperature of more than approximately 80.degree. C. under the action of a heating medium with a relative humidity of approximately 60 to 80% and then in a second climate zone under the action of a drying medium with a temperature of over approximately 80.degree. C. and a relative humidity of approximately 65 to 85% is dried to a moisture content of less than approximately 14% by weight, or to avoid undesired reactions over approximately 80.degree. C. initially to a moisture content of less than approximately 18% by weight and then at a lower temperature to a final moisture content of less than approximately 14% by weight. This process can be performed extremely rapidly and supplies high-quality products. It can be performed with particular advantage in a single-level drier for drying the long products (FIG. 1).