AISI Recorded 30% Dip in U.S. Raw Steel Production

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The U.S. raw steel production totalled 1.289 million net tons in the week ending July 11, 2020. The capability utilization rate was 57.5%, said the weekly steel industry data published by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).

The estimated production tonnage for the most recent week represents a decline of 30.2% from the corresponding week a year before. The production had totalled 1.847 million net tons in the week ending July 11, 2019, at a capability utilization rate of 79.4%. The current week production compares with the production of 1.268 million net tons at a rate of capacity utilization of 56.6% during the prior week. The production was up marginally by 1.7% over the prior week, AISI data said.

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According to AISI, the adjusted year-to-date production through July 11, 2020 totalled 41.927 million net tons, which is down sharply by 16.9% from the previous year. The capability utilization rate during this period averaged at 66.6%. The raw steel production had totalled 52.014 million net tons at an average capability utilization rate of 80.9% during the similar period last year.

The Southern region topped the production chart with an output of 523,000 net tons, followed by Great Lakes region with 439,000 net tons. The output (in net tons) by other regions is as follows: North East (141,000), Midwest (125,000) and Western (61,000).