Steel Products

AISI Estimated Raw Steel Production & SMU & AISI Capacity Utilization Rates (Dec. 29th)

January 4, 2013

The American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI) reported their estimated raw steel production data for the week ending December 29, 2012. According to AISI estimates the U.S. steel industry produced 1,827,000 net tons of raw steel last week. This represents a decrease of 0.7 percent compared to the week earlier and is 1.9 percent lower than the same week one year ago.

The AISI estimates the capacity utilization rate to be 73.9 percent. SMU estimates the true capacity utilization rate to be 78.5 percent after deducting RG Steel tonnage from the mix. As you can see the RG Steel tonnage can create quite a difference in the capacity utilization rates.

Year to date the AISI estimates total raw steel produced to be 97,227,000 net tons up 2.7 percent compared to the 94,705,000 tons produced through the same period last year. The average capacity utilization rate is estimated to be 75.7 percent so far this year up from 74.4 percent last year.

The North East district produced 188,000 net tons, up 5,000 tons from the previous week.
The Great Lakes district produced 683,000 net tons, up 4,000 tons from the previous week.
The Midwest district produced 263,000 net tons, up 2,000 tons from the previous week.
The Southern district produced 612,000 net tons, down 23,000 tons from the previous week.
The Western district produced 81,000 net tons, down 1,000 tons from the previous week.
Total production was 1,827,000 net tons, down 13,000 tons from the previous week.