Steel production in the US Great Lakes region tumbled 6.8% last week after falling 9.8% the week before, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported Monday.
The Great Lakes region produced 565,000 st of steel in the week ended Saturday, down from 606,000 st the week before. The drop contributed to a 3.2% week-on-week decline in overall US raw steel production, dropping to 1.762 million st from 1.82 million st.
US Steel stalled production at its Great Lakes sheet works in Michigan because of a roof collapse on March 27. US Steel also curtailed production at its Gary Works in Indiana because of "unforeseen and unprecedented ice conditions on the Great Lakes that [are] delaying the transportation of critical raw materials," an April 2 letter sent to customers said.
The industry's capability utilization slipped to 73.3% from 75.7%. Compared with the year-ago week, US steel output is down 3.9% from 1.834 million st produced, while mills operated at 76.6% of their capability.
Year-to-date steel production is down 0.7% to 24.85 million st, down from 25.01 million st in the year-ago period. Average capability utilization in 2014 is 76.3%, down from 76.9% in the same period last year.
Steel production in the Midwest also fell 4% last week to 238,000 st from 248,000 st, AISI data showed. Southern mills' output declined 1.5% to 657,000 st from 667,000 st.
Northeast steel production edged up 1,000 st, or 0.5%, to 211,000 st. Western steel mills made 2,000 st, or 2.2%, more steel last week, reaching 91,000 st.
AISI determines its weekly raw steel production data based on weekly data from 50% of the domestic industry and estimates the rest using monthly production data.
