Slight decline in US raw steel production

According to data released this week by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), US raw steel production is down 0.9 percent from last week. The previous week's tonnage totaled 2.072 million net tons (nt), while numbers for the week ending September 2, 2006 totaled 2.053 million nt. Raw steel production is up though when comparing the week ending September 2, 2006 with the same week of the previous year. Last year, for the week ending September 2, net tonnage registered at 1.910 million, 143,000 nt less than the same week of this year. Year to date net tonnage as of September 2, 2006 totals 72.6 million nt with mills working at an average capability utilization rate of 87.1 percent, up 5.9 percent from the same period the previous year with mills producing 68.5 million nt and operating at an 85.0 percent capability utilization rate. The Southern district produced the most raw steel for the week ending September 2, 2006, followed by the Indiana/Chicago district, producing 657,000 nt and 484,000 nt respectively.