US raw steel production decreases slightly

According to data released this week by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), US raw steel production totaled 2.057 million net tons (nt) for the week ending August 5, 2006, down 0.9 percent from the 2.073 million nt for the previous week. Looking at last year's numbers, the amount of steel that domestic mills produced for the week ending August 5th was 1.88 million nt, 193,000 nt less than the amount of steel produced in the same week of 2006. Year to date net tonnage as of August 5, 2006 totals 64.4 million nt with mills working at an average capability utilization rate of 87.1, up 5.5 percent from the same period the previous year with mills producing 60.1 million nt and operating at an 85.0 percent capability utilization rate. The Southern district produced the most raw steel for the week ending August 5, 2006 followed by the Indiana/Chicago district producing 634,000 nt and 516,000 nt respectively.