AISI announced that in the week ending November 23, 2024, domestic raw steel production in the United States totaled 1,655,000 net tons, marking a 1.9% decrease compared to the same week in 2023, when production reached 1,687,000 net tons. However, despite this year-over-year decline, steel production showed a 2.0% increase from the week prior, which ended on November 16, 2024, when production stood at 1,623,000 net tons. The steel industry’s capacity utilization for the week was reported at 74.5%, a slight improvement from 73.4% in the same week of 2023. The week-to-week rise in production indicates some recovery in output, reflecting the dynamic nature of the U.S. steel sector in a challenging market.
Regional data reveals varied production outputs across the U.S. steel districts. The Great Lakes region, which is a key steel-producing area, recorded the highest production at 570,000 net tons, followed by the Southern district with 694,000 net tons. The Midwest district produced 213,000 net tons, while the Northeast region accounted for 125,000 net tons. The Western region, with a smaller steel output, contributed 53,000 net tons to the national total. The distribution of production reflects the geographical concentration of steel manufacturing, with certain regions like the Great Lakes and Southern districts historically driving a significant portion of the nation's output.
The weekly figures from November 23, 2024, align with broader trends observed in 2024. Year-to-date raw steel production through November 23, 2024, totaled 79,038,000 net tons. This is a decrease of 2.1% compared to the same period in 2023, when production reached 80,735,000 net tons. The year-to-date capability utilization rate for 2024 stands at 75.9%, down slightly from 76.1% during the same period last year. These figures underscore the ongoing challenges facing the U.S. steel industry in terms of production levels and efficiency.
