Steel Mills

AISI: Raw steel production edges back up

November 12, 2024

Domestic raw steel production recovered last week, after slipping the week prior, according to the latest American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) data. Weekly production remains at some of the lowest levels recorded this year.

US mills produced an estimated 1,649,000 short tons (st) of raw steel in the week ending Nov. 9. Output edged back up by 20,000 st, or 1.2%, from the prior week, with all regions except one seeing increases. Recall that in mid-October, production fell to a 20-month low of 1,606,000 st (see Figure 1).

Total steel mill output last week was 3.5% lower than the year-to-date weekly average of 1,706,000 st. Production was also down 2.3% from 1,687,000 st the same week a year earlier.

The mill capability utilization rate last week was 74.2%, up from 73.3% one week prior and up from 73.4% last year.

Year-to-date production was 75,760,000 st with an overall capability utilization rate of 76%. This is 2.1% less than last year when mills produced 77,360,000 st while operating at 76.1% of capabilities.

Weekly production by region is shown below, with the weekly changes noted in parentheses:

Northeast – 124,000 st (down 4,000 st)
Great Lakes – 594,000 st (up 2,000 st)
Midwest – 194,000 st (up 8,000 st)
South – 684,000 st (up 13,000 st).
West – 53,000 st (up 1,000 st)

Editor’s note: The raw steel production tonnage provided in this report is estimated and should be used primarily to assess production trends. The monthly AISI “AIS 7” report is available by subscription and provides a more detailed summary of domestic steel production.

David Schollaert

David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his early experience and expertise were within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers. He can be contacted at david@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-720-1008.

David Schollaert

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