Raw steel production fell to 654,000 tons in the Great Lakes region last week, the second consecutive week of decline.
U.S. steel production decreased by 5.5 percent in the week that ended Saturday, according to an American Iron and Steel Institute estimate. Local production dropped by 10,000 tons, or about 1.5 percent.
Most of the raw steel production in the Great Lakes region takes place in Indiana and the Chicago area.
Production in the Southern District, typically the nation's second-biggest steel-producing region, plunged to 556,000 tons, down from 628,000 tons the previous week.
Total domestic raw steel production last week was about 1.746 million tons, down from 1.848 million tons a week earlier.
Nationally, domestic steel mills had a capacity utilization rate of 72.6 percent last week, down from 76.8 percent a week earlier. The capacity utilization rate had been 74.6 percent a year earlier.
Steel imports decreased by 18 percent in November, but still captured 29 percent of the overall U.S. market share, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Finished steel market share is 28 percent so far this year.
The United States imported 3.6 million net tons of steel in November, including 2.8 million tons of finished steel, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.
So far this year, total steel imports are up 37 percent over 2013, while finished steel imports are up by 34 percent. Steel plate in coils imports are up 87 percent so far this year, while cold-rolled sheets are up 85 percent year over year and wire rods are up 82 percent year-to-date.
Source: nwitimes.com
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