Raw Steel Production Edges Back Down: AISI

The capability utilization rate was 75.1% last week, down from 75.4% a week earlier. Capability utilization was still down from 78.7% in the same week last year.

AISI said that adjusted year-to-date production through March 25 was 19,878,000 net tons at a capability utilization rate of 74.1%. This is down 4.5% from the 20,814,000 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 25 is below. (Note: week-over-week change is in parentheses.)

• Northeast, 150,000 tons (up 1,000 tons)
• Great Lakes, 561,000 tons (up 4,000 tons)
• Midwest, 211,000 tons (up 4,000 tons)
• South, 698,000 tons (down 15,000 tons)
• West, 59,000 tons (down 1,000 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