Weekly US steel mill utilization increases to 74.6%

US raw steel capability utilization moved higher last week, rising to 74.6% from 72.3% the previous week, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported on Jan. 4.

The raw steel capability utilization rate has not surpassed 74% since the week ended Mar. 21, 2020, when the utilization rate stood at 79.4%.

Production increased by 3.1% to 1.65 million st during the week ending Jan. 2, up from 1.6 million st the previous week, according to the data.

Last week’s production was still down 10.4% compared to the same week a year earlier, when capability utilization was at 80.1% and production totaled 1.841 million st.

Last week’s production totaled 159,000 st in the Northeast; 591,000 st in the Great Lakes region; 182,000 st in the Midwest; 643,000 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