Steel Products Prices North America

U.S Raw Steel Production Dipped Last Week

May 8, 2018

Steel production for the week ending May 12 totaled 1,747,000 net tons, a 1.7 percent increase from the same period last year, but down 1.8 percent from the previous week. The mill capability utilization rate for the May 12 week averaged 74.5 percent, down from 75.9 percent the prior week but up from 73.7 percent the prior year, reports the American Iron and Steel Institute. Peak capacity utilization for the year was 78.7 percent in early March.

Adjusted year-to-date producton through May 12 totaled 33,249,000 net tons at a capability utilization rate of 75.5 percent. That’s up 1.7 percent from 32,688,000 tons in the same period last year when the capability utilization was 74.3 percent.

Following is production by district for the week of May 12: North East: 220,000 net tons; Great Lakes, 655,000 net tons; Midwest, 165,000 net tons; South, 637,000 net tons; and West, 70,000 net tons, for a total of 1,747,000.

Note, mill capability for second-quarter 2018 is approximately 30.5 million tons, compared to 30.3 million tons for the same period last year and 30.0 million tons for first-quarter 2018.

The raw steel production tonnage provided in this report is estimated. The figures are compiled from weekly production tonnage from 50 percent of the domestic producers combined with monthly production data for the remainder. Therefore, this report should be used primarily to assess production trends. The AISI monthly production report provides a more detailed summary of steel production based on data supplied by companies representing 75 percent of U.S. production capacity.

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