US raw steel production increased by 2.2pc to 1.74mn nt (1.58mn mt) at a capacity utilization of 76.9pc for the week ending February 13, 2020, according to the American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI).
The prior week’s production was 1.71mn nt at a utilization rate of 75.2pc. The utilization rate rose by 1.7 percentage points on a weekly basis. Compared to the same week a year ago, crude steel production fell by 5.5pc from 1.84mn nt and higher capacity utilization of 81.5pc.
From Jan 1-Feb 13, adjusted production fell by 8.7pc to 10.81mn nt at a rate of 75.9pc from 11.84mn nt and capacity utilization of 82.2pc in the same period a year ago.
The South comprised 41.6pc of total US crude steel at 725,000nt followed by the Great Lakes at 34.4pc or 599,000nt, Midwest at 10.8pc or 189,000nt, North East at 8.9pc or 155,000nt, and West at 4.3pc or 75,000nt.
Compared to the same week a year ago, the North East’s production fell by 32.3pc, Great Lakes declined by 11pc, and the Midwest dropped by 4.5pc, but the South increased production by 1.7pc, while the West remained unchanged.