The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported Monday that estimated US raw steel production for the week ended January 3, 2009 totaled 866,000 net tons (nt), marking an 8.3 percent increase from the 800,000 nt produced in the previous week (the week of Christmas), which ended December 27, 2008.
However, while production increased on a week-to-week basis, it was down 59.3 percent from the first week of January 2008.
Capacity utilization for the week ended January 3, 2009 stood at 36.3 percent, compared to 33.5 percent in the previous week and 88.7 percent in the year-ago period.
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.