The domestic raw steel production data published by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) for the most recent week suggests further decline in U.S. mill capacity utilization rates over the prior week.

For the week ending on May 16, 2020, the domestic raw steel production totalled 1.181 million net tons. Over the previous week, the production recorded marginal decline by 1.9%. It must be noted that the U.S. steel mills had produced 1.204 million net tons during the week ending on May 9, 2020. The capacity utilization rate for the current week, at 52.7%, too was down from the prior week’s rate of 53.7%. 

Year-on-year, the current week’s production recorded sharper decline by over 37%. The production during the corresponding week last year had totalled 1.880 million net tons. The capacity utilization rate a year before was 80.8%.

The adjusted year-to-date production through May 16, 2020 was 32.040 million net tons, down by nearly 14% from 37.098 million net tons during the corresponding period in 2019. The capability utilization rates too slumped from 81.4% to 71.2%, AISI data said.

Southern region was the leading producer, with an output of 507,000 net tons, followed by Great Lakes with 399,000 net tons. The production by the other regions was as follows: Midwest (124,000 net tons), North East (91,000 net tons) and Western (60,000 net tons).