Steel Products Prices North America

Weekly Raw Steel Production Trending Above 1.8 Million Tons

Written by Tim Triplett

August 7, 2018

U.S. raw steel production remained above the 1.8 million ton mark for the third week in a row, reports the American Iron and Steel Institute in Washington. Raw steel output for the week ending Aug. 4 totaled 1,828,000 net tons, a 4.3 percent increase from the same period last year, but down 0.4 percent from the previous week. The mill capability utilization rate for the Aug. 4 week of 78.0 percent was down slightly from 78.3 percent in the prior week, but up from 75.2 percent in the same week last year. Utilization remains near this year’s peak of 78.7 percent achieved in March.

Adjusted year-to-date producton through Aug. 4  totaled 55,416,000 net tons at a capability utilization rate of 76.8 percent. That’s up 3.5 percent from 53,522,000 tons in the same period last year when the capability utilization was 74.4 percent.

Following is production by district for the week of Aug. 4: North East: 217,000 net tons; Great Lakes, 698,000 net tons; Midwest, 180,000 net tons; South, 653,000 net tons; and West, 80,000 net tons, for a total of 1,828,000.

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.

Tim Triplett

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