Permeability and compressibility data are required for an adequate process model for compressible-cake filtration and mechanical expression. Experimental and modeling results of the permeability of palm-oil filter cakes (a highly compressible viscoelastic material) are combined with compressibility data, leading to a model for the expression step. Permeability measurements show that permeability depends strongly on the quantity of fine particles in the cake. Removal of fine particles from the slurry before expression significantly increases the solid-phase content during expression due to higher permeability. Modeling results of the expression step show that for palm-oil filter cakes there is a pressure above which the attainable mass fraction of solids becomes independent of pressure. Decrease in specific cake resistance has two effects : a higher mass fraction of solids at the same pressure and a higher pressure at which the mass fraction of solids is not affected further.