US raw steel production climbed by 3.6pc to 1.71mn nt (1.6mn mt) at a capacity utilization rate of 75.4pc for the week ended January 9, 2021, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
Compared to the same week in 2020, output declined by 10.3pc from 1.9mn nt, and capacity utilization fell by 7pc. In the first two weeks of 2021, production was short by 10.4pc at 2.18mn nt compared with 2.43mn nt during the same period in 2020. Total capacity declined by 53,000nt on an annual basis for the week ended Jan 9.
Regionally, compared to the same week a year ago, production in the North East declined by 36pc to 155,000nt; Great Lakes’ output fell by 12.6pc to 601,000nt; Output in the Midwest fell by 16.3pc to 184,000nt; the South’s production declined by 3.1pc to 699,000nt; the West’s output fell by 43pc to 70,000nt.
Compared to the prior week, production declined by 2.5pc in the North from 159,000nt, was down 7.1pc in the West from 75,000nt. Notably, production in the South rose by 8.7pc from 643,000nt on a weekly basis. The crude steel tonnage provided by AISI is compiled by combining weekly production figures from 50pc of domestic producers and monthly production data.
Steel Shipments
In November 2020, US steel mills shipped 6.75mn nt, falling by 11.9 compared with 7.66mn nt in November 2019. In the first 11 months of 2020 as well, shipments declined 16pc to 73.9mn nt against 88.2mn nt in the same period of 2019, AISI data indicated.