US crude steel production increased by 0.2pc for the week ending February 27, 2021, to 1.75mn nt (1.59mn mt) with a capacity utilization of 77.2pc against last week’s output, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Production this week fell by 7pc compared to the time period last year, which was at 1.88mn nt with a capacity utilization of 81.3pc.
Adjusted from the beginning of 2021 to Feb 27, production dropped by 8.4pc through late February to 14.36mn nt with a utilization rate of 76.5pc against 15.67mn nt during the same period last year at a utilization level of 81.9pc.
The Southern region comprised 40.9pc of all US crude steel production at 715,000nt followed by the Great Lakes region encompassing 35.7pc at 624,000nt. The Midwest comprised 10.4pc of total US crude at 181,000nt, the Northeast produced 8.9pc at 155,000nt, and the West comprised 4.2pc at 74,000nt.
Against preliminary regional numbers in various regions about the same week last year, the Northeast encountered the steepest fall of 33.2pc against 232,000nt in the same week of the prior year, followed by the Midwest, which slid by 11.7pc from 205,000nt, and Great Lakes down 9.7pc from 691,000nt. The South fell by 1.1pc and the West increased production by 2.8pc compared to last year, though its volume is the smallest regionally.