US raw steel production declined by 0.9pc to 1.44mn nt (1.30mn mt) with a capacity utilization of 64.5pc for the week ended Sep 19, 2020, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
Production fell after growing steadily for weeks, with capacity utilization inching closer to pre-pandemic levels after plummeting to a 51pc low during the first week of May. Compared to the same week in 2019, output declined by 19.7pc from 1.80mn nt, and capacity utilization fell by 12.9pc.
Year-to-date production declined by 20.1pc to 56.1mn nt from 70.3mn nt during the same period in 2019, and total capacity declined by 2.22mn nt from the week ended Sep 19, 2020.
Regionally, compared to the same week a year ago, production in the North East declined by 40pc to 135,000nt; Great Lakes output fell by 33.3pc to 527,000nt; Output in the Midwest decreased by 10.6pc to 169,000nt; the South’s production declined by 17.3pc to 553,000nt; and the West’s output fell by 17.7pc to 62,000nt.
Compared to last week, the regions’ production decreased, save for the North East, where production increased by 10.6pc to 135,000nt from 122,000nt.
The crude steel tonnage provided by AISI is compiled by combining weekly production figures from 50pc of domestic producers and monthly production data.