Steel Products Prices North America

Steel Production at 78.7 Percent of Capacity

October 15, 2019

Mill capacity utilization by U.S. mills has leveled off in the high 70 percent range. Raw steel production for the week ending Oct. 12 totaled 1,821,000 net tons at a mill utilization rate of 78.7 percent, up 0.9 percent from the previous week but down 3.0 percent compared with the same week last year, reported the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Adjusted year-to-date production through Oct. 12 totaled 76,078,000 net tons for the year at an average mill utilization of 80.3 percent–still up 2.9 percent from 2018 when the year-to-date utilization rate was 77.5 percent.

Following is production by district for the Oct. 12 week: North East: 200,000 net tons; Great Lakes, 685,000 net tons; Midwest, 162,000 net tons; South, 698,000 net tons; and West, 76,000 net tons, for a total of 1,821,000 tons. Production for the week increased in the Great Lakes, South and West and decreased in the North East and Midwest.

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 third-quarter 2019 is approximately 30.6 million tons compared to 30.8 million tons for the same period last year and 30.3 million tons for second-quarter 2019.