Weekly Raw Steel Production at Highest Level in 17 Weeks

For the week ending June 13, 2015, the American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI) estimated the U.S. steel industry produced 1,747,000 net tons of raw steel, a 1.5 percent increase over the previous week but a 7.5 percent decrease over the same week one year ago. The estimated capacity utilization rate is 73.9 percent, up from 72.8 percent last week but down from 78.5 percent last year. The last time production levels were this high was the week ending February 14, 2015 with 1,760,000 tons produced and a capacity utilization rate of 74.4 percent.

Estimated total raw steel produced for 2015 YTD is reported to be 40,111,000 tons, down 7.3 percent from the 43,283,000 tons produced during the same period in 2014. The average capacity utilization rate for 2015 YTD is estimated to be 72.4 percent, down from 77.3 percent for 2014 YTD.