US weekly steel output rises 1.8% to 2.136 million st

US raw steel production increased 1.8% to 2.136 million st in the week ended May 10, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported May 12.

The weekly gain followed a production decline of 0.9% in the prior week ended May 3.

Nationally, weekly steel production was 0.7% above total output reported for the same week a year ago, and US steelmakers used about 89.5% of available capacity in the current week compared with 88.4% a year ago, reported the Washington, DC-based trade association.

The adjusted year-to-date production through May 10 was 39.59 million st, about 3.4% ahead of the 38.278 million st produced during the same period last year.

The capacity utilization rate over the first 18 weeks of 2008 was 88.7%, compared with last year's 85.1% through the same period.

The South produced the largest volume of steel again last week, with output of 687,000 st, a strong gain of 40,000 st, or 6.3%, from the prior week.

The Midwest boosted production to 259,000, representing a gain of 19,000 st, or 7.9%.

Elsewhere, Indiana/Chicago produced 512,000 st (-1.5%); Pittsburgh/Youngstown was 212,000 st (-1.9%); the Northeast Coast was 177,000 st (+1.7%); Detroit was 107,000 st (-7.0%); the West was 95,000 st (-1.0%); and Lake Erie was 87,000 st (-4.4%).

AISI's figures are based on estimated raw steel production from a sampling of steel producers representing about 50% of US capacity.

Created: May 14, 2008

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