Compact former section

A former section including a headbox, a felt, a wire, a forming roll having a suction zone and a forming section, and a gap section defined by the section between the headbox and a position where the felt and the wire are brought together at the forming roll. The headbox distributes a pulp slurry into the gap section to be sandwiched by the felt and the wire to form a paper sheet. A bottom side of the paper sheet contacts the felt and a top side of the paper sheet contacts the wire, and the sandwiched felt, paper sheet and wire wrap around the forming roll. A press roll forms a nip with the forming roll through which the paper sheet is carried by the felt and the wire, and the suction zone of the forming roll is arranged in a section around the nip.