U.S. Raw Steel Producers Busy In Early October

Raw steel producers in the U.S. were operating at near capacity for the week ending Oct. 5, according to data compiled by the American Iron and Steel Institute, Washington, D.C. Figures show that domestic raw steel production was 2.06 million net tons while the capacity utilization rate was 92.3%. By comparison, production for the same week in 2001 reached 1.743 million net tons, with a capacity utilization rate of just 73.4%. For the year through Oct. 5, domestic steel production has reached nearly 74.8 million tons, a 2.9% increase over the same period in the previous year, at a capacity utilization rate of 89.5%. During the same period last year, the capacity utilization rate was 77.4%.