The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported Monday that estimated US raw steel production for the week ended January 31, 2009 totaled 1.006 million nt, representing a decrease of about 2 percent from the previous week's total.
Compared to the same week of 2008, US raw steel production for the week ended January 31 was down 53.3 percent this year.
Capacity utilization for the week ended January 31 stood at 42.2 percent, down slightly from 43.1 percent in the prior week, though down significantly from the 90.3 percent percent capability utilization rate for the same week of 2008.
After inching up in the first two weeks of the New Year, the US raw steel production total for the week ended January 31, 2009 represents the third consecutive week-over-week decline in production.
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.