Features
AISI: Raw steel production inches back up
Written by Brett Linton
June 24, 2024
Domestic raw steel production ticked up last week following a seven-week low, according to the latest release by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
Total US steel mill output is estimated to have been 1,710,000 short tons (st) in the week ending June 22, up 6,000 st, or 0.4%, from the week prior. Raw production last week was 0.3% lower than the year-to-date weekly average of 1,715,000 st. Production is down 1.6% compared to the same week one year ago when production totaled 1,738,000 st.
The mill capability utilization rate was 77.0% last week. This rate is higher than the week prior (76.7%) but down from this time last year (77.3%).
Year-to-date production is up to 42,204,000 st at a capability utilization rate of 76.4%. That is down 2.7% from the same time frame last year, when 43,379,000 st were produced at a capability utilization rate of 77.8%.
Weekly production by region is shown below, with the weekly changes noted in parentheses:
- Northeast – 133,000 st (up 8,000 st)
- Great Lakes – 568,000 st (up 14,000 st)
- Midwest – 203,000 st (down 3,000 st)
- South – 744,000 st (down 14,000 st)
- West – 62,000 st (up 1,000 st)
Editor’s note: The raw steel production tonnage provided in this report is estimated and should be used primarily to assess production trends. The monthly AISI “AIS 7” report is available by subscription and provides a more detailed summary of domestic steel production.
Brett Linton
Read more from Brett LintonLatest in Features
SMU Survey: Mill lead times remain stable and short
Steel buyers participating in our market survey this week reported stable mill lead times for both sheet and plate steel products.
Nippon respects HR dumping decision, expects lower rate in next review
Nippon Steel says it respects the US Department of Commerce’s findings in administrative reviews despite the agency recently assigning the Japanese steelmaker a higher dumping margin.
SMU Survey: Most buyers report mills still willing to talk price
Most steel buyers SMU polled this week reported that mills remain willing to negotiate new order pricing.
CRU: Trump tariffs could stimulate steel demand
Now that the dust has settled from the US election, as have the immediate reactions in the equity, bond, and commodity markets, this is a prime opportunity to look at how a second Trump presidency might affect the US steel market.
Final Thoughts
One of the perhaps unintentional perks of being a trade journalist is the opportunity to travel and cover an array of industry conferences and events. Some I've attended have been at fun locations, like Palm Springs and Tampa, Fla. Others have been in more practical locations, like SMU’s Steel Summit in Atlanta and American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA) meetings in Washington, D.C.