U.S. Raw Steel Output Ticks Up in Early January: AISI
Steel News | 2026-01-06 11:36:09
Adjusted year-to-date production through January 3, 2026, also totalled 1,704,000 net tons, maintaining a 74.4 percent utilization rate.
By Paul Ploumis
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): U.S. domestic raw steel production recorded a modest year-on-year increase in the first week of 2026, according to the latest industry data. For the week ending January 3, 2026, steelmakers produced 1,704,000 net tons, with the capability utilization rate standing at 74.4 percent.
In comparison, production during the same week in 2025 totalled 1,680,000 net tons, while utilization was higher at 75.6 percent. This translates into a 1.4 percent increase in weekly output year-on-year, despite a slight decline in capacity usage.
On a week-on-week basis, production rose 0.5 percent from 1,695,000 net tons recorded in the week ending December 27, 2025. The utilization rate during the prior week was 74.0 percent, indicating a marginal operational improvement.
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Adjusted year-to-date production through January 3, 2026, also totalled 1,704,000 net tons, maintaining a 74.4 percent utilization rate. This figure is likewise 1.4 percent higher than the corresponding period last year.
Regional output distribution for the latest week showed the Southern district leading production at 759,000 net tons, followed by the Great Lakes region with 494,000 net tons. The Midwest produced 264,000 net tons, the Northeast 121,000 net tons, and the Western district 66,000 net tons, bringing total national output to 1.704 million net tons.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How did U.S. raw steel production perform in the first week of 2026 compared with last year?
Production increased by 1.4% year-on-year to 1.704 million net tons, indicating modest growth in output.
- What happened to steel capacity utilization rates?
Utilization declined slightly to 74.4% from 75.6% a year earlier, though it improved marginally compared with the previous week.
- Which U.S. region recorded the highest steel production?
The Southern district led output with 759,000 net tons, followed by the Great Lakes region at 494,000 net tons.
