Steel Products Prices North America

Weekly Raw Steel Production Rises Above 1.7 Million Ton Level

March 15, 2016

For the week ending March 12, 2016, the American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI) estimated the U.S. steel industry produced 1,722,000 net tons of raw steel, a 2.9 percent increase over the previous week and a 7.6 percent increase over the same week one year ago. The estimated capacity utilization rate is 73.6 percent, up from 71.5 percent last week and up from 67.7 percent this time last year (note that the capacity utilization rates in 2016 are based on new lower total capabilities with the removal of US Steel Fairfield from the mix.)

Estimated total raw steel produced for 2016 YTD is reported to be 18,187,000 tons, down 4.7 percent from the 19,077,000 tons produced during the same period in 2015. The average capacity utilization rate for 2016 YTD is estimated to be 70.1 percent, down from 72.1 percent for 2015 YTD.

Note that the AISI estimates capability for Q1 2016 to be 30.5 million tons versus 30.4 million tons for the same period last year and 31.4 million tons for the Q4 2015.

Week-over-week changes per district are as follows: Northeast at 206,000 tons, up 7,000 tons. Great Lakes at 656,000 tons, up 25,000 tons. Midwest at 186,000 tons, up 3,000 tons. South at 592,000 tons, up 16,000 tons. West at 82,000 tons, down 2,000 tons. Total production was 1,722,000 tons, up 49,000 tons.

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