Steel Products Prices North America
Mill Utilization Rate Inches Up to 77%
Written by David Schollaert
February 23, 2021
Weekly raw steel production by U.S. mills totaled 1,745,000 tons in the week ending Feb. 20, up just 0.1% from the week prior when production was 1,743,000 net tons. Despite the marginal increase, raw steel production was up for the second consecutive week. The mill utilization rate was 77.0%, up from 76.9% one week ago, yet down 7.2% from the same period last year when production was 1,880,000 net tons.
Adjusted year-to-date production through Feb. 20 was 12,553,000 net tons, at an average utilization rate of 76.1%. That’s down 8.5% from the same period last year then the utilization rate was 81.9% and production was 13,717,000 net tons, AISI said.
Following is production by district for the Feb. 20 week: North East, 153,000 net tons; Great Lakes, 637,000 net tons; Midwest, 183,000 net tons; South, 700,000 net tons; and West, 72,000 net tons for a total of 1,745,000. Production was down across all regions week on week except for the Great Lakes, which was up by 38,000 net tons compared to the week prior.
Note: The raw steel production tonnage provided in this report is estimated. The figures are compiled from weekly production tonnage provided from 50% of the domestic producers combined with monthly production data for the remainder. Therefore, this report should be used primarily to assess production trends. AISI’s monthly production report provides a more detailed summary of steel production based on data supplied by companies representing 75% of U.S. production capacity. Capability for the first quarter of 2021 is approximately 29.1 million tons compared to 30.1 million tons for the same period last year and 29.1 million tons for the fourth quarter of 2020.
David Schollaert
Read more from David SchollaertLatest in Steel Products Prices North America
SMU price ranges: Most sheet and plate products drift lower
Steel sheet prices mostly edged lower for a second week, while plate prices slipped for the third consecutive week.
Nucor drops HRC price to $720/ton
After holding its weekly spot price for hot-rolled (HR) coil steady for three weeks at $730 per short ton (st), Nucor lowered the price this week by $10/st.
SMU price ranges: Sheet slips, plate falls to 45-month low
Steel sheet and plate prices moved lower this week as efforts among some mills to hold the line on tags ran up against continued concerns about demand.
CRU: US longs prices remain mostly flat in October
CRU Senior Steel Analyst Alexandra Anderson shares insight into the current market for long steel products.
Nucor holds HR base price at $730/st
Nucor is holding its hot-rolled (HR) coil consumer spot price (CSP) at $730 per short ton (st) this week.