Features
AISI: Domestic steel production eases
Written by Brett Linton
September 22, 2025
US raw steel production eased last week for the second consecutive week, according to the latest figures published by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Despite this decline, production remains historically strong, holding near multi-year highs since June.
For the week ending Sept. 20, raw steel production was estimated at 1,754,000 short tons (st) (Figure 1). Output decreased by 10,000 st, or 0.6%, from the week before, just 46,000 st,or 2.6%, below the three-and-a-half-year high recorded last month.
Last week’s production was 1.8% above the year-to-date (YTD) weekly average of 1,722,000 st and 5.9% higher than the same week a year earlier. YTD output now stands at 64,979,000 st, up 2.1% from the same period of last year.
The mill capability utilization rate was 77.4% last week, down from the previous week (77.9%), but greater than the same week last year (74.6%). Across the first nine months of 2025, capability utilization has averaged 77.0%.
Raw production decreased week over week (w/w) in three of the five regions defined by AISI:
- Northeast – 114,000 st (down 12,000 st)
- Great Lakes – 548,000 st (down 8,000 st)
- Midwest – 239,000 st (up 3,000 st)
- South – 780,000 st (down 4,000 st)
- West – 73,000 st (up 11,000 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 graphic included in this report shows unadjusted weekly data. The monthly AISI “AIS 7” report is available by subscription and provides a more detailed summary of domestic steel production.
Brett Linton
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