US raw steel output increased by 1.5 percent during the week ended January 23, 2010 when compared to the previous week, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
AISI reported Monday that US raw steel production in the week ended January 23, 2010 totaled 1,587,000 nt, up from 1,564,000 nt produced in the previous week, and up from the 1,016,000 nt produced during same week of 2009.
In the week ended January 23, US steelmakers were producing at 65.6 percent capacity, said AISI. This is up from the prior week's 64.7 percent and up from the corresponding week of last year's 42.4 percent.
US crude steel output has risen when compared to both the prior week and the same week of 2009 in every week of 2010 so far. Year-to-date, US production has totaled 5,096,000 nt, which is up 52.7 percent from YTD production as of January 23, 2009. Percent capability utilization in the first three weeks of the year has averaged at 64.1 percent; in the same period of 2009 it was 42.4 percent.