Steel Products Prices North America

AISI: Mill Utilization Rate Hits 81.5 Percent

Written by Tim Triplett

February 12, 2019

The average capability utilization for U.S. steelmakers hit 81.5 percent in the week ending Feb. 9, the highest rate in about three months, with the mills producing 1,897,000 net tons of steel. Production increased 0.4 percent from the prior week and was up 4.4 percent from the same week the prior year, reported the American Iron and Steel Institute.  

For the year, the industry has averaged a mill utilization rate of 80.6 percent. Total year-to-date production of 10,851,000 tons was up 9.3 percent from the same period in 2018, when the utilization rate was 75.7 percent.

Following is production by district for the Feb. 9 week: North East: 229,000 net tons; Great Lakes, 682,000 net tons; Midwest, 198,000 net tons; South, 713,000 net tons; and West, 75,000 net tons, for a total of 1,897,000 tons. Production for the week was up in the North East, Great Lakes and West, but down sightly in the Midwest and South. The biggest change was a 2.2 percent increase in the Great Lakes region, which had some ground to make up from the prior week’s production, which was slowed by severe winter weather conditions. 

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: Capability for first-quarter 2019 is approximately 30.5 million tons compared to 30.0 million tons for the same period last year and 30.8 million tons for fourth-quarter 2018.

Tim Triplett

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