Steel Products Prices North America

Weekly Raw Steel Production at 80.6 Percent of Capacity

Written by Tim Triplett

December 18, 2018

Raw steel production by U.S. steelmakers in the week ending Dec. 15 inched up to 80.6 percent capability utilization. Steel production totaled 1,890,000 net tons for the week, up 0.7 percent from the prior week, and up 12.8 percent from the prior year, reports the American Iron and Steel Institute. Domestic mills have been running at more than 80 percent of their capacity for the past two months. 

U.S. steelmakers have produced 6.0 percent more raw steel so far this year. Adjusted year-to-date production through Dec. 15 totaled 91,294,000 net tons. The average capacity utilization rate for the year has increased by more than 4 percentage points, to 78.2 percent from 74.0 percent in 2017.

Following is production by district for the Dec. 15 week: North East: 216,000 net tons; Great Lakes, 726,000 net tons; Midwest, 191,000 net tons; South, 676,000 net tons; and West, 81,000 net tons, for a total of 1,890,000.

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.

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

Tim Triplett

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