The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported Monday that estimated US raw steel production fell by 12.5 percent in the week ended December 20, 2008.
US raw steel production totaled 1,022,000 nt in the week ended December 20, 2008, compared to the 1,168,000 nt produced in the week ended December 13, 2008.
Compared to the corresponding week in the previous year, US raw steel production in the week ended December 20, 2008 was down 51.4 percent.
Percent capability utilization dropped to 42.9 percent in the week ended December 20, compared to 49.0 percent the week before and 82.1 percent in the week ended December 20, 2007.
Year-to-date (YTD), as of December 20, 2008, total domestic raw steel production amounted to 99.319 million nt. This figure is down 5.6 percent from the 105.206 million nt produced in the same week of last year. YTD capacity utilization as of December 20 was 82.1 percent, compared to 87.0 percent YTD December 20, 2007.
AISI's estimated raw steel production tonnage is compiled from weekly production data provided from 50 percent of domestic producers combined with monthly production data for the remainder.