Raw steel production in the United States tallied 1.34 million net tons in the week ending Sept. 5, 2009, up 2.4 percent from the previous week.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute, Washington, mills operated at 56.2 percent of capacity for the week, up from 54.9 percent during the week before. Steel output in the United States has drifted upward throughout the summer, although the amount of steel being made in 2009 continues to remain well below what was being churned out in 2008.
In the week ending Sept. 5, 2008, production was at 2 million tons while the capability utilization (capacity) rate then was 84.5 percent. The current week’s production represents a 33.4 percent decrease from the same period in 2008, according to AISI.
In year-to-date terms, production through Sept. 5, 2009 was 39.2 million tons with an average capability utilization rate of 46.4 percent. That is down by 48.6 percent from the 76.2 million tons made during the same period last year, when the capability utilization rate was 89.7 percent.
The story of steelmaking in the United States in 2009 has been one of production slowly climbing back from historically low capacity rates witnessed in the winter of 2008-2009.
AISI has also reported today that for the month of June 2009, U.S. steel mills shipped 4.8 million net tons of product, a 12.1 percent increase from the 4.3 million net tons shipped in May.
Latest from Recycling Today
- AISI, Aluminum Association cite USMCA triangular trading concerns
- Nucor names new president
- DOE rare earths funding is open to recyclers
- Design for Recycling Resolution introduced
- PetStar PET recycling plant expands
- Iron Bull addresses scrap handling needs with custom hoppers
- REgroup, CP Group to build advanced MRF in Nova Scotia
- Oregon county expands options for hard-to-recycling items
