Steel Products Prices North America
July 9, 2019
Mill Capacity Utilization Remains Below 80 Percent
Written by Tim Triplett
The U.S. mill capability utilization rate saw a slight dip again last week to 79.4 percent–below the 80 percent level steelmakers had hoped to maintain. Raw steel production for the week ending July 6 totaled 1,847,000 net tons, the lowest level seen since last fall. Production was down 0.2 percent from the previous week, but was still 1.8 percent higher than the same week last year, reported the American Iron and Steel Institute.
Adjusted year-to-date production through July 6 totaled 50,458,000 net tons at an average capability utilization rate of 81.2 percent. That’s up 5.3 percent from the 47,918,000 net tons during the same period last year when the capability utilization rate was 76.7 percent.
