Weekly Raw Steel Production Dips 0.2%

The overall mill capability utilization rate was 76.1% last week, down from 76.3% a week prior and down from 81.2% in the same week last year.

AISI said that adjusted year-to-date production through May 6 was 30,098,000 tons at a capability utilization rate of 74.7%. This is down 4.3% from the year-ago period when 31,461,000 tons were produced with an overall capability utilization rate of 80.3%.

Weekly output increased in three regions and fell in two. Production dropped most significantly in the Midwest. Regional production for the week ending May 6 is shown below with week-over-week changes noted in parentheses:

• Northeast – 139,000 tons (down 8,000 tons)
• Great Lakes – 580,000 tons (up 5,000 tons)
• Midwest – 208,000 tons (down 12,000 tons)
• South – 717,000 tons (up 10,000 tons)
• West – 68,000 tons (up 1,000 tons)

Note: The raw steel production tonnage provided in this report is estimated. The figures are compiled from weekly production tonnages 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 Becca Moczygemba, becca@steelmarketupdate.com