US steel mills' capacity utilization rate returned to more than 50%

July 14 MetalBiz--Last week, the US domestic crude steel production was 1,213,000 short tons, the production utilization being 50.9%, the output down 42.8% YoY, up 3.7% month on month.

Since May of this year, as US stocks fell to its lowest level in history, as well as a substantial decline in steel imports, the United States began to increase steel shipments, constant increasing the production capacity utilization of the steel mills, that of last week was the highest level since December 2008, but also the first time to exceed 50%, higher 17 points than the lowest point in the financial crisis.

After adjusted, till July 11, 2009, crude steel production of the United States totaled 28,899,000 short tons this year, at the rate of production capacity utilization 44.2%, declining 51.2% year-on-year. Those of the same period last year respectively were 59.187mln short tons, and 90.3%.