Raw Steel Utilization Reaches 75.4%: AISI

The capability utilization rate was 75.4% last week, up from 75% a week earlier and pushing past the 75% mark for the first time since the week of Oct. 8, 2022. Capability utilization was still down from 78.7% in the same week last year.

AISI said that adjusted year-to-date production through March 18 was 18,199,000 net tons at a capability utilization rate of 74%. This is down 4.7% from the 19,104,000 net tons produced during the same period last year, when the capability utilization rate stood at 79.7%.

Production by region for the week ending March 11 is below. (Note: week-over-week change is in parentheses.)

• Northeast, 149,000 tons (up 1,000 tons)
• Great Lakes, 557,000 tons (up 10,000 tons)
• Midwest, 207,000 tons (down 3,000 tons)
• South, 713,000 tons (up 9,000 tons)
• West, 60,000 tons (down 8,000 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