In the week ending October 19, 2013, US domestic raw steel production was 1,835,000 net tons while the capability utilization rate was 76.6 percent, according to a release by the American Iron and Steel Institute. Comparatively, production was 1,692,000 net tons in the week ending October 19, 2012, while the capability utilization then was 68.0 percent. The current week production represents an 8.5 percent increase from the same period in the previous year. Production for the week ending October 19, 2013 is down 0.6 percent from the previous week ending October 12, 2013 when production was 1,847,000 net tons and the rate of capability utilization was 77.1 percent.
Adjusted year-to-date production through October 19, 2013 was 77,708,000 net tons, at a capability utilization rate of 77.2 percent. That is a 2.5 percent decrease from the 79,737,000 net tons during the same period last year, when the capability utilization rate was 76.1 percent.