Steel Products Prices North America

Weekly Raw Steel Production Recovers, Still Sub 80%
Written by David Schollaert
September 12, 2022
Raw steel production by US mills recovered last week after declining for two straight weeks. Despite the week-on-week (WoW) gain, the total was still the second-lowest total since February 2021, while utilization rates haven’t eclipsed the 80% mark in ten weeks.
Domestic output was 1,723,000 net tons in the week ending Sept. 10, while capacity utilization was 78.2%, according to the latest data from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
US output was up 0.5% from the week prior yet down 6.3% from last year’s production of 1,839,000 net tons. Mill capacity utilization last week was 0.4 percentage points above the prior week but 5.1 percentage points below the same period one year ago when utilization was 83.3%.
Adjusted year-to-date production through Sept. 10 totaled 64,041,000 net tons, at an average utilization rate of 79.8%. That’s 3.8% below the same period last year when production was 65,529,000 net tons, though the utilization rate was lower then, at 81%, AISI said.
Output fell in three of five regions last week, but was offset by gains of 29,000 net tons (+5.4%) and 5,000 net tons (+7.7%) in the Great Lakes and West regions, respectively.
Production by region for the week ending Sept. 10 was as follows: Northeast, 146,000 tons; Great Lakes, 568,000 tons; Midwest, 199,000 tons; South, 740,000 tons; and West, 70,000 tons—for a total of 1,723,000 net tons, up 8,000 net tons from the prior week.

Note: The raw steel production tonnage provided in this report is estimated. The figures are compiled from weekly production tonnage provided by approximately 50% of the domestic production capacity combined with the most recent monthly production data for the remainder. Therefore, this report should be used primarily to assess production trends. The AISI production report “AIS 7,” published monthly and available by subscription, provides a more detailed summary of steel production based on data supplied by companies representing 75% of US production capacity.
By David Schollaert, David@SteelMarketUpdate.com
David Schollaert
Read more from David SchollaertLatest in Steel Products Prices North America
September Import Share of US Sheet and Plate Markets
Imported sheet and plate products arrived at US ports at a slower clip in September, accounting for a lower share of the domestic market for the third straight month. That’s according to a Steel Market Update analysis of import data from the US Commerce Department and domestic shipment figures from the American Iron and Steel […]
US Apparent Steel Supply Falls Further in September
US apparent steel supply eased further in September, down 8% from August to 8.29 million net tons, according to data from the US Department of Commerce and the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). As the lowest monthly figure since February 2021, this was a 19-month low. September supply was 10% below the average monthly rate […]
Northwest Pipe Reports Sharply Higher Q3 Results
Engineered pipe and tube producer Northwest Pipe Co. posted sharply higher profits for the third quarter ended Sept. 30. The Vancouver, Wash.-based company said the boost was driven by strong demand and increasing backlogs from its engineered pipeline systems and precast products, according to earnings data released on Tuesday, Nov. 8 All told, Northwest Pipe posted net […]
SMU Price Ranges: Flat-Rolled Steel Falls (Yet Again)
Sheet prices fell across the board again this week as the slow grind lower that we’ve seen since last spring continued to gain speed. Hot-rolled coil prices fell $30 per ton ($1.50 per cwt) week-over-week. Declines in coated products were more pronounced, with cold rolled down $55 per ton, galvanized down $35 per ton, and […]
US Steel Exports Slip 10% in September
US steel export volumes shrunk 10% from August to September, according to the latest US Commerce Department data. 723,000 net tons of steel products exited the country during the month, now the fourth-lowest monthly export rate over the past year and a half. Recall that exports levels in August were at the third-highest monthly rate […]
