Weekly US steel mill capability utilization increases to 76.9%

US raw steel capability utilization reached an eleven-month high last week, according to data released by the American Iron and Steel Institute on Feb. 15.

The raw steel capability utilization rate rose to 76.9%, up from 75.2% the previous week.

Production increased by 2.2% to 1.743 million st during the week ending Feb. 13, up from 1.705 million st the previous week, according to the data.

Last week’s production was still down 5.5% compared to the same week a year earlier, when capability utilization was at 81.5% and production totaled 1.844 million st.

Adjusted year-to-date production through Feb. 13 totaled 10.808 million st, with a capability utilization rate of 75.9%. The total is 8.7% lower than the 11.837 million st produced during the same period last year, when the utilization rate was 82.2%.

Last week’s production totaled 155,000 st in the Northeast; 599,000 st in the Great Lakes region; 189,000 st in the Midwest; 725,000 st in the Southern district and 75,000 st in the Western region.

The tonnage data is estimated, compiled from weekly production data provided by 50% of domestic producers combined with monthly production data for the remainder.

— Ingrid Lexova