US raw steel output increased by 2.5 percent during the week ended February 13, 2010 when compared to the previous week, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). In the previous week which ended on February 6, the country's weekly raw steel production had increased by just 0.7 percent compared to the week before.
AISI reported that US raw steel production in the week ended February 13, 2010 totaled 1,645,000 nt, up from 1,605,000 nt produced in the previous week, and up 54.6 percent from 1,064,000 nt produced during the same week of 2009.
In the week ended February 13, US steelmakers were producing at 68 percent capacity, said AISI. This is up from the prior week's 67.3 percent and up from 45.5 percent in the corresponding week of last year.
US crude steel output has risen when compared to both the prior week and the same week of 2009 in every week of 2010 so far. Year-to-date, US production has totaled 9,941,000 nt, which is up 53.5 percent from year-to-date production as of February 13, 2009. Year-to-date percent capability utilization has averaged at 68 percent; in the same period of 2009 it was 65.4 percent.