Steel Markets
Weekly Raw Steel Output Keeps Upward Move: AISI
Written by David Schollaert
February 6, 2023
Raw steel production by US mills rose for a fourth straight week, cresting the 74% utilization mark for the first time since the last week of October 2022, according to data released by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
The increase pushed capacity utilization up to 74.1%, driven by increases in tons in the Northeast, Midwest, and South regions. This is up from the prior week’s 73.1%, but down from 80.4% a year ago.
Domestic mills produced 1,656,000 net tons in the week ending Feb. 4, up 1.3%, or 21,000 tons, from the previous week, but down 5.2% from 1,747,000 tons in the same week last year.
Adjusted year-to-date (YTD) production through Feb. 4 was at 8,108,000 tons, with YTD capacity utilization at 72.5%. That’s 6.7% below the 8,688,000 tons in the same YTD period in 2022 when capacity utilization was 79.9%, AISI said.
Production by region for the week ending Jan. 28 is below. (Note: week-over-week change is in parentheses.)
- Northeast, 152,000 tons (up 22,000 tons)
- Great Lakes, 528,000 tons (down 16,000 tons)
- Midwest, 207,000 tons (up 6,000 tons)
- South, 705,000 tons (up 5,000 tons)
- West, 64,000 tons (down 6,000 tons)
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
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