This report is an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data and is intended to provide subscribers with a view of the competitive positions of sheet steel, aluminum, plastic and wood. The analysis includes some downstream products and a comparison of truck and rail transportation. On Jan. 15, the BLS released its series of […]
Weekly raw steel production by U.S. mills totaled 1,709,000 net tons in the week ending Jan. 9, up 3.6 percent from the week before when the total was 1,650,000 net tons. The mill utilization rate was 75.4 percent, up from 74.6 percent the week prior; however, down by 10.3 percent compared to the same week […]
U.S. raw steel production inched up 1.3 percent in November to 6,947,000 net tons, as reported by the American Iron and Steel Institute. This was the highest monthly production figure seen since March 2020 when 7,710,000 tons were produced in a single month. AISI’s monthly raw steel production estimates are different than the weekly estimates […]
Weekly raw steel production by U.S. mills totaled 1,650,000 net tons in the week ending Jan. 2, up 3.1 percent from the week before, which saw some slowing due to the holiday. The average mill utilization rate rose to 74.6 percent, up from 72.3 percent the week prior. Production in the last week of 2020 […]
Weekly raw steel production by U.S. mills totaled 1,619,00 net tons in the week ending Dec. 19, up from 1,567,000 net tons week on week. The operating rate was 73.2 percent, up 3.3 percent from 70.9 percent the week prior. The increase is likely a reflection of mills adding capacity, including U.S. Steel’s restart of […]
Weekly raw steel production by U.S. mills totaled 1,600,000 net tons in the week ending Dec. 26, down 1.2 percent from the prior week, most likely due to the holiday lull. The mill utilization rate was 72.3 percent, down from 73.2 percent the week before and 78.5 percent in the same week last year. Adjusted […]
After reaching bottom in June, due largely to the global pandemic, mill shipments and supply of sheet products have since maintained a slow but steady upward trajectory. This analysis is based on steel mill shipment data from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and import-export data from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The analysis […]
U.S. raw steel production rose 4.2 percent in October to 6,861,000 net tons, as reported by the American Iron and Steel Institute. AISI’s monthly raw steel production estimates are different than the weekly estimates SMU reports each Tuesday; the monthly estimates are based on over 75 percent of the domestic mills reporting versus only 50 […]
Weekly raw steel production by U.S. mills totaled 1,567,000 net tons in the week ending Dec. 12, down slightly from 1,579,000 week on week. The operating rate was 70.9 percent, down 0.8 percent from 71.4 percent the week prior, based on the American iron and Steel Institute’s calculations, which include idled capacity. Actually, despite the […]
Weekly raw steel production by U.S. mills totaled 1,579,000 net tons in the week ending Dec. 5. As expected, production increased by 1.2 percent after edging off slightly the week prior due to the Thanksgiving holiday break. The operating rate as a result rose to 71.4 percent, up from 70.6 percent the prior week. Even though present […]
Weekly raw steel production by U.S. mills totaled 1,561,000 net tons in the week ending Nov. 28, while the average operating rate was 70.6 percent. Production declined by 1.3 percent from the week prior, likely due to the holiday break. Present capacity utilization represents a 14.4 percent decrease from the same period last year when […]
Weekly raw steel production by U.S. mills totaled 1,582,000 net tons in the week ending Nov. 21. The operating rate was a fraction higher than the prior week at 71.5 percent. Despite the steady increase in production through much of 2020, the latest week’s output remains 13.2 percent behind the same week last year when the […]
Raw steel production by U.S. mills increased by 7,000 net tons last week. In the week ending Nov. 14, domestic steel production totaled 1,580,000 net tons, pushing the average industry capacity utilization rate up slightly to 71.4 percent. Although production continues on a slow upward trajectory, it remains 13.3 percent below the same week last year when the operating rate was […]
Editor’s note 11/17/20: The data in the “Supply Tons YTD” column on Table 3 didn’t populate correctly, and therefore, was in error. Table 3 has now been updated accordingly. Mill shipments and supply of sheet products continue to see slight yet steady growth since reaching bottom in June. This analysis is based on steel mill […]
U.S. raw steel production remained steady in September, up 0.8 percent to 6,587,000 net tons, as reported by the American Iron and Steel Institute. AISI’s monthly raw steel production estimates are different than the weekly estimates SMU reports each Tuesday; the monthly estimates are based on over 75 percent of the domestic mills reporting versus […]
Weekly raw steel production by U.S. mills continues to climb, a trend that started back in May. In the week ending Nov. 7, raw steel production totaled 1,573,000 net tons. The capacity utilization rate rose to 71.1 percent, up from 70.0 percent the week prior. Despite the steady rise in output, the current week’s production represents […]
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Domestic mills continue to increase steel production as the economy rebounds from the coronavirus, with the capacity utilization rate topping 70 percent again for the first time since late-March. In the week ending Oct. 31, raw steel production totaled 1,557,000 net tons, at a mill operating rate of 70.4 percent, up from 69.7 percent the […]
By Principal Consultant Josh Spoores, from CRU’s Steel Sheet Products Monitor North American sheet prices have continued to surge after bottoming this past August. For HR coil, prices have been assessed at $712 /s.ton. Since Aug. 12, these prices have gained $237 /s.ton, or 63%. This is the fastest percent gain over three months in […]
Editor’s note 11/3/20: Some of the data as originally published in Table 1 was incorrect due to a spreadsheet error (specifically the change in shipments 3M Y/Y column). The table has been updated with the correct information below. Mill shipments and supply of sheet products have turned, albeit slightly, since reaching bottom in […]
Weekly raw steel production by U.S. mills rose again by 0.5 percent to 1,542,000 net tons in the week ending Oct. 24. The mill operating rate hit 69.7 percent, up from 69.4 percent the week prior. Despite the steady increases over the past 20 weeks as the economy recovers from COVID, domestic steel production was still […]
Raw steel production by U.S. mills rose again by 2.2 percent to 1,535,000 net tons in the week ending Oct. 17, continuing an uptrend that began nearly five months ago. The mill operating rate hit 69.4 percent, up from 67.9 percent the week prior. Despite the repeated rise in capacity utilization, production was still down by 15.0 percent […]
Raw steel production by U.S. mills rose another 1.2 percent in the week ending Oct. 10 to 1,502,000 net tons, the 16th increase in the last 18 weeks. The operating rate reached 67.9 percent last week, up from 66.6 percent the week prior. Even though production has experienced steady increases, mill output was still 16.8 percent below levels of […]
U.S. raw steel production rose 9.4 percent to 6,538,000 net tons in August, as reported by the American Iron and Steel Institute in Washington. August production is slightly below the 2020 monthly average of 6,580,000 tons, and down 19.8 percent compared to the same month last year. August production was 560,000 tons higher than July, […]
Raw steel production by U.S. mills increased 0.3 percent in the week ending Oct. 3 to 1,484,000 net tons, another small sign of rising steel demand. The operating rate of 66.6 percent was up from 66.1 percent the week prior. Although domestic production has seen steady gains since April, last week’s output was still 17.7 percent […]
Raw steel production by U.S. mills jumped by 2.4 percent in the week ending Sept. 26 to 1,480,000 net tons, following a small dip in the previous week. The operating rate last week hit 66.1 percent, up from 64.5 percent in the prior week. The last time production topped 66 percent of the mills’ capability was 25 […]
Domestic steel production dipped a bit last week for only the second time in the last 15 weeks. Production by U.S. mills totaled 1,446,000 net tons in the week ending Sept. 19, with the mills operating at an average utilization rate of 64.5 percent. Production in the Sept. 19 week was down 0.9 percent from the prior […]
“More than 18 years after it acceded to the WTO, China continues to fail to comply with its WTO obligations,” stated the America Iron and Steel Institute in comments to the U.S. Trade Representative regarding China’s compliance with World Trade Organization rules. In a 44-page letter to the USTR, AISI claims there is overwhelming evidence […]
Domestic steelmakers continued to dial up production last week, with raw steel output rising for the 13th time in the past 14 weeks. Production by U.S. mills totaled 1,459,000 net tons in the week ending Sept. 12, with the mills at an average utilization rate of 65.1 percent. Production in the Sept. 12 week was up […]
After a brief pause in late August, raw steel production resumed its upward trajectory, rising again for the 12th time in the past 13 weeks. Raw steel output by U.S. mills totaled 1,428,000 net tons in the week ending Sept. 5, with the mills at an average utilization rate of 63.7 percent. Production in the […]