Steel Products

AISI Estimated Raw Steel Production & SMU & AISI Capacity Utilization Rates

January 2, 2013

The American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI) reported their estimated raw steel production data for the week ending December 22, 2012. According to AISI estimates the U.S. steel industry produced 1,840,000 net tons of raw steel last week. This represents an increase of 0.7 percent compared to the week earlier but is 1.2 percent lower than the same week one year ago.

The AISI estimates the capacity utilization rate to be 74.5 percent. SMU estimates the true capacity utilization rate to be 79.1 percent after deducting RG Steel tonnage from the mix. As you can see the RG Steel tonnage can create quite a difference in the capacity utilization rates.

Year to date the AISI estimates total raw steel produced to be 95,400,000 net tons up 2.8 percent compared to the 92,842,000 tons produced through the same period last year. The average capacity utilization rate is estimated to be 75.7 percent so far this year up from 74.4 percent last year.

The North East district produced 183,000 net tons, up 3,000 tons from the previous week.
The Great Lakes district produced 679,000 net tons, up 20,000 tons from the previous week.
The Midwest district produced 261,000 net tons, down 4,000 tons from the previous week.
The Southern district produced 635,000 net tons, up 3,000 tons from the previous week.
The Western district produced 82,000 net tons, down 9,000 tons from the previous week.
Total production was 1,840,000 net tons, up 13,000 tons from the previous week.