Weekly US steel mill capability utilization rises above 75%

US raw steel capability utilization increased last week, rising to 75.4% from 74.6% the previous week, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported on Jan. 11.

Production increased by 3.6% to 1.709 million st during the week ending Jan. 9, up from 1.65 million st the previous week, according to the data.

Last week’s production was still down 10.3% compared to the same week a year earlier, when capability utilization was at 82.4% and production totaled 1.906 million st.

Adjusted year-to-date production through Jan. 9 totaled 2.18 million st, with a capability utilization rate of 75.2%. The total is 10.4% lower than the 2.432 million st produced during the same period last year, when the utilization rate was 82.4%.

Despite week-on-week decreases in production in the Northeast and the Western region, total production rose amid an 8.7% week-on-week increase in production in the Southern district.

Last week’s production totaled 155,000 st in the Northeast; 601,000 st in the Great Lakes region; 184,000 st in the Midwest; 699,000 st in the Southern district and 70,000 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