Raw Steel Production Edges Higher: AISI

The mill capability utilization rate was 75% last week, up from 74.4% a week earlier and down markedly from 81.9% in the same week last year.

AISI said that adjusted year-to-date production through April 15 was 24,970,000 tons at a capability utilization rate of 74.4%. This is down 4.4% from the year-ago period when 26,111,000 tons were produced with an overall capability utilization rate of 80.3%.

Production by region for the week ending April 15 is below. (Note: week-over-week change is in parentheses.)

• Northeast – 149,000 tons (down 1,000 tons)
• Great Lakes – 577,000 tons (up 3,000 tons)
• Midwest – 211,000 tons (up 5,000 tons)
• South – 692,000 tons (up 15,000 tons)
• West – 58,000 tons (down 10,000 tons)

Note: The raw steel production tonnage provided in this report is estimated. The figures are compiled from weekly production tonnages provided by approximately 50% of the domestic production capacity combined with the most recent monthly production data for the remainder. Therefore, this report should be used primarily to assess production trends. The AISI production report “AIS 7,” published monthly and available by subscription, provides a more detailed summary of steel production based on data supplied by companies representing 75% of US production capacity.

By David Schollaert, david@steelmarketupdate.com