Weekly Raw Steel Production Rises Again

The overall mill capability utilization rate was 76.3% last week, up from 75.6% a week earlier but down from 81.9% in the same week last year.

AISI said that adjusted year-to-date production through April 29 was 28,386,000 tons at a capability utilization rate of 74.6%. This is down 4.4% from the year-ago period when 29,687,000 tons were produced with an overall capability utilization rate of 80.3%.

Weekly output was higher in all regions except for the Northeast. Regional production for the week ending April 29 is shown below with week-over-week changes noted in parentheses:

• Northeast – 147,000 tons (down 4,000 tons)
• Great Lakes – 575,000 tons (up 4,000 tons)
• Midwest – 220,000 tons (up 4,000 tons)
• South – 707,000 tons (up 7,000 tons)
• West – 67,000 tons (up 5,000 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 Becca Moczygemba, becca@steelmarketupdate.com