One of the most important aims in manufacturing paperwebs is to achieve the greatest possible consistency over the entire web of material properties, e. g. moisture, thickness and basis weight. The consistency is evaluated by examining profiles across the web. The cross-direction profile of the basis weight is of special interest. Because it changes as a result of process disturbances, a crossprofile control is used to equalize the disturbances and to smooth the profile. The aim of this article is to develop a process model that is to serve as a basis both for an understanding of the process and for the design of a crossdirection basis weight control. Not only the controlled system but also the controlling element with which the profile can be influenced is modelled.