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U.S. Raw Steel Production Up 1.7 Percent in 2018

Written by Tim Triplett

July 5, 2018

Raw steel production for the week ending June 30 totaled 1,781,000 net tons, a 1.9 percent increase from the same period last year and up 0.5 percent from the previous week. The mill capability utilization rate for the June 30 week averaged 76.0 percent, up from 75.6 percent in the prior week and 74.9 percent in the same week last year. Raw steel capability utilization remains below the peak for the year of 78.7 percent recorded in March, reports the American Iron and Steel Institute in Washington. 

Adjusted year-to-date producton through June 30 totaled 45,614,000 net tons at a capability utilization rate of 75.5 percent. That’s up 1.7 percent from 44,839,000 tons in the same period last year when the capability utilization was 74.4 percent.

Following is production by district for the week of June 30: North East: 215,000 net tons; Great Lakes, 653,000 net tons; Midwest, 187,000 net tons; South, 652,000 net tons; and West, 74,000 net tons, for a total of 1,781,000.

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.

Tim Triplett

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