Steel Products Prices North America

U.S. Raw Steel Production Down Slightly for the Week

July 17, 2018

U.S. raw steel production for the week ending July 14 totaled 1,783,000 net tons, a 2.9 percent increase from the same period last year but down 0.5 percent from the previous week. The mill capability utilization rate for the July 14 week averaged 76.1 percent, down from 76.4 percent in the prior week but up from 74.3 percent in the same week last year, reports the American Iron and Steel Institute in Washington. Mill utilization remains short of the industry goal of 80 percent or more and still lags this year’s peak of 78.7 percent recorded in March.

Adjusted year-to-date producton through July 14 totaled 49,705,000 net tons at a capability utilization rate of 76.3 percent. That’s up 2.9 percent from 48,304,000 tons in the same period last year when the capability utilization was 74.4 percent.

Following is production by district for the week of July 14: North East: 207,000 net tons; Great Lakes, 666,000 net tons; Midwest, 179,000 net tons; South, 658,000 net tons; and West, 73,000 net tons, for a total of 1,783,000.

Note, mill capability for third-quarter 2018 is approximately 30.8 million tons, compared to 30.6 million tons for the same period last year and 30.5 million tons for second-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.