Steel output rising in mid-November

After three consecutive weeks of slight decline, steel output in the United States is back on the uptick, according to the Washington-based American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).

AISI says in the week ending Nov. 20, domestic raw steel production was 1.86 million tons, representing a 0.3 percent increase from the previous week’s output. Likewise, production during that previous week (ending Nov. 13) rose by 0.8 percent compared with the week ending Nov. 6.

From Oct. 17 to Nov. 5, steel output in the U.S. had shown signs of tapering off slightly. However, the 1.86 million tons of steel made during the third week of November is back to where it was in late October in terms of weekly output.

AISI says the capability utilization (mill capacity) rate was 84.3 percent in the week ending Nov. 20, meaning it is still below an 85.3 percent rate reached in mid-October.

Year-to-date production through November 20 stands at more than 84.4 million tons, representing a 19.9 percent boost from the 70.4 million tons made during the same period in 2020. During those first 11 months of last year, the capacity rate averaged just 67.7 percent.

Geographically in the third week of November, the AISI’s Southern region was the top producer, making 787,000 tons, followed by the Great Lakes at 617,000 tons; the Midwest with 205,000 tons; the North East at 175,000 tons; and AISI’s Western region at 77,000 tons of output.