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    May 11, 2021

    Weekly Raw Steel Production Sees Slight Slip

    Written by David Schollaert

    Raw steel production by U.S. mills edged down 0.8% in the week ending May 8 compared to the week prior, the first decrease in nearly a month, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Production totaled 1,774,000 net tons last week while mill utilization averaged 78.1%, down from 1,788,000 net tons and 78.7% week on week.

    The impact of the pandemic-driven shutdowns from the same period last year cannot be overstated, as current production represents a 45.1% increase from year-ago levels when production was 1,223,000 net tons and utilization was just 55.4%. Although production has recovered since, the market is still lagging pre-pandemic levels, according the data compiled by AISI. When comparing the latest data to the equivalent pre-COVID-19 period in 2019, current production is down 9.5%.

    David Schollaert

    David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his early experience and expertise were within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers. He can be contacted at david@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-720-1008.

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