US steel production inches up 0.4 percent

As was reported this week by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), during the week ended February 10, 2007, raw steel production in the US increased by 0.4 percent from the previous week, rising to 1.973 million net tons (nt). The previous week's numbers showed 1.965 million nt of raw steel produced by the US. Steel production for the week ended February 10, 2007 was down 7.1 percent from the 2.126 million net tons produced the same week of last year. The Southern district produced the most raw steel for the week ended February 10, 2007, with a total of 651,000 nt, followed by the Indiana/Chicago district with 492,000 nt. The district that produced the least raw steel was the Lake Erie district, which recorded output of 86,000 nt. Year-to-date net tonnage as of February 10, 2007 registered at 11.4 million nt, with mills working at an average capability utilization rate of 81.6 percent. This compares to the YTD net tonnage of 12.3 million nt on February 10, 2006, with an average capability utilization rate of 87.0 percent.