US raw steel production rose last week (ended January 8) with output increasing 2.3 percent from the previous week. In the previous week, US raw steel production had increased 2.1 percent compared to the week before.
Total raw steel production in the United States last week amounted to 1,722,000 nt. This figure represents a 2.3 percent increase from the 1,683,000 nt produced in the prior week, and is up 11 percent from the 1,552,000 nt produced in the same week of last year.
The capacity utilization rate of US raw steelmaking facilities was 71.2 percent in the week ending January 8, compared to 69.6 percent in the prior week and 64.2 percent in the same week last year.
Adjusted year-to-date production through January 8, 2011 was 1,962,000 nt, at a capability utilization rate of 71.2 percent. This represents a 10.7 percent increase from the 1,773,000 nt produced during the same period last year, when the capability utilization rate was 64.2 percent.