US raw steel capability utilization increased in the week ended Sept. 11, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported Sept. 13.

            The raw steel capability utilization rate rose to 85.3% from 84.5% the previous week.

            Production increased 0.9% to 1.882 million st during the week ending Sept. 11, up from 1.866 million st the previous week, according to the data.

            Last week’s production was up 22.4% compared with the same week a year earlier when capability utilization was at 68.6% and production totaled 1.537 million st.

            Adjusted year-to-date production through Sept. 11 totaled 65.786 million st, with a capability utilization rate of 80.8%. The total is 20.1% above the 54.767 million st produced during the same period a year ago when the utilization rate was 66.8%.

            Last week’s production totaled 174,000 st in the Northeast, 638,000 st in the Great Lakes region, 204,000 st in the Midwest, 786,000 st in the South and 80,000 st in the West.

---- Steel Business Briefing