Raw steel production in the Great Lakes region rebounded to 611,000 tons last week after bottoming out a week earlier to 555,000 tons, the lowest it's been in years.
Capacity utilization ticked up to 72.2 percent last week, but overall U.S. production still lags 2014 by 6.9 percent.
Local steel production shot up by 56,000 tons, or 10 percent in the week that ended Saturday, according to an American Iron and Steel Institute estimate. Overall U.S. steel output increased by 3.1 percent over the same period.
Most of the raw steel production in the Great Lakes region takes place in the Chicago area, mainly Lake and Porter counties in Northwest Indiana. Indiana has led the nation in steel production for more than 30 years.
Production in the Southern District, typically the country's second-biggest steel-producing region, fell to 579,000 tons last week, down from 593,000 tons the week before.
Total domestic raw steel production last week was about 1.707 million tons, up from 1.655 million tons a week earlier.
Nationally, domestic steel mills had a capacity utilization rate of 72.2 percent last week, up from 70 percent a week earlier. The capacity utilization rate had been 76.6 percent at the same time a year earlier.
Year-to-date output was 28.1 million net tons, at a capacity utilization rate of 72.4 percent, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Production so far this year trails the 2014 rate by 6.9 percent.
Source: NW Times
- metaljunction »
- Metal News
Metal News & Events
METALJUNCTION PUBLICATIONS
Coal Insights (English) Monthly
Coal Insights is a ready reckoner for anyone associated with coal. This publication is aimed at tracking everything related to coal in India.
India Coal Market Watch(English) Monthly
ICMW is a one-stop source for all news, data and research pertaining to coal demand, consumption, stocks, spot- and long-term prices with respect to the Indian Market.
India Steel Market Watch (English) Monthly
ISMW is a brand new high-end steel market report, covering all aspects of the steel industry in India.
Steel Insights(English) Monthly
Steel Insights delves into various facets of the domestic and global steel industry such as market fundamentals, raw material price trends, price forecasts etc.