US raw steel production rose 0.6 percent in the week that ended on February 19 compared to the previous week. In the previous week, US raw steel production had increased 1.1 percent compared to the week before.
Total raw steel production in the United States last week amounted to 1,820,000 nt. This figure represents a 0.6 percent increase from the 1,806,000 nt produced in the prior week, and is up 5.9 percent from the 1,720,000 nt produced in the same week of last year.
The capacity utilization rate of US raw steelmaking facilities was 75.3 percent in the week ending February 19, compared to 74.8 percent in the prior week and 71.1 percent in the same week last year.
Adjusted year-to-date production through February 19, 2011 was 12,664,000 nt, at a capability utilization rate of 73.3 percent. This represents a 10.9 percent increase from the 11,421,000 nt produced during the same period last year, when the capability utilization rate was 67.5 percent.