A ring rolling process in which a ring shaped workpiece is provided, the ring shaped workpiece having a principal axis, an inner radial surface, an outer radial surface, a first axial surface and a second axial surface, the process including the step of subjecting the workpiece to radial pressure between a forming roll acting on the outer radial surface and a mandrel roll acting on the inner radial surface, at a radial roll bite region, wherein: a first axial roll and a second axial roll are provided at the first axial surface and the second axial surface respectively, to subject the workpiece to axial pressure, the first and second axial rolls being provided at an angular position, measured around the workpiece and with respect to the principal axis, within ±10° of said radial roll bite region, the first axial roll and the second axial roll each have a plain cylindrical shape and rotate about respective horizontal axes; characterized in that in order to control the cross sectional shape of the workpiece , the forming roll has a plain cylindrical shape and rotates about a vertical axis and is movable along its axis of rotation in addition to being independently movable radially, and the mandrel roll rotates about a vertical axis and has a projecting portion for contact with the workpiece , the projecting portion having an axial extent which is smaller than the axial height of the workpiece, the mandrel roll being axially moveable relative to the workpiece during the ring rolling process so that the projecting portion is applied to different axial locations of the workpiece, in order to control the shape applied to the workpiece, the mandrel roll also being independently movable radially, and wherein the first and second axial rolls are moved, either independently or together with the mandrel roll and/or forming roll along their axes of rotation in addition to being rotatable and independently movable vertically, to adapt to the changing cross section of the workpiece during forming. a first axial roll and a second axial roll are provided at the first axial surface and the second axial surface respectively, to subject the workpiece to axial pressure, the first and second axial rolls being provided at an angular position, measured around the workpiece and with respect to the principal axis, within ±10° of said radial roll bite region, the first axial roll and the second axial roll each have a plain cylindrical shape and rotate about respective horizontal axes; characterized in that in order to control the cross sectional shape of the workpiece , the forming roll has a plain cylindrical shape and rotates about a vertical axis and is movable along its axis of rotation in addition to being independently movable radially, and the mandrel roll rotates about a vertical axis and has a projecting portion for contact with the workpiece , the projecting portion having an axial extent which is smaller than the axial height of the workpiece, the mandrel roll being axially moveable relative to the workpiece during the ring rolling process so that the projecting portion is applied to different axial locations of the workpiece, in order to control the shape applied to the workpiece, the mandrel roll also being independently movable radially, and wherein the first and second axial rolls are moved, either independently or together with the mandrel roll and/or forming roll along their axes of rotation in addition to being rotatable and independently movable vertically, to adapt to the changing cross section of the workpiece during forming. <EOS>