U.S. Raw Steel Output Rises 5.4% Through September 2026

Steel News  |  2026-09-09 23:27:18   |   By

The steelmaking capacity utilization rate stood at 78.3% during the latest week, unchanged from the corresponding week a year earlier. It was slightly below the previous week’s 78.7%.

Summary
  • YTD steel production remains strong: U.S. raw steel production totaled 64.637 million net tons through September 5, 2026, marking a 5.4% increase from 61.318 million tons during the comparable period in 2025.
  • Weekly output dipped but remained above 2025: Steel mills produced 1.808 million net tons during the latest week, down 0.6% from the previous week's 1.818 million tons but 1.7% higher than the 1.777 million tons produced in the corresponding week of 2025. Capacity utilization stood at 78.3%.
  • Southern and Great Lakes mills lead production: The Southern district remained the largest producer at 821,000 net tons, followed by the Great Lakes at 511,000 tons and the Midwest at 281,000 tons. The Northeast and Western districts produced 123,000 and 72,000 tons, respectively.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Year-to-date U.S. raw steel production reached 64.64 million net tons through September 5, 2026, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). The robust year-to-date performance is despite a small weekly decline in production.

U.S. Steel mills produced 1.808 million net tons during the week ended September 5, according to industry data. This was 1.7% higher than the 1.777 million net tons recorded during the comparable week in 2025. However, weekly output slipped 0.6% from the 1.818 million net tons produced in the week ended August 29.

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The steelmaking capacity utilization rate stood at 78.3% during the latest week, unchanged from the corresponding week a year earlier. It was slightly below the previous week’s 78.7%.

The adjusted year-to-date U.S. steel production totaled 64.637 million net tons, marking a 5.4% increase from 61.318 million net tons in the same period of 2025. Over the previous year, capacity utilization rose from 77.1%. to 79.0%.

The Southern district remained the largest producing region, accounting for 821,000 net tons. The Great Lakes followed with 511,000 tons, while the Midwest produced 281,000 tons. The Northeast contributed 123,000 tons, and the Western district recorded 72,000 tons. The regional figures highlight the continued dominance of Southern and Great Lakes steel mills.