1,820,000 net tons while the capability utilization rate was 75.3 percent. Production was 1,720,000 tons in the week ending February 19, 2010, while the capability utilization then was 71.1 percent. The current week production represents a 5.9 percent increase from the same period in the previous year. Production for the week ending February 19, 2011 is up 0.6 percent from the previous week ending February 12, 2011 when production was 1,809,000 tons and the rate of capability utilization was 74.8 percent. Adjusted year-to-date production through February 19, 2011 was 12,664,000 tons, at a capability utilization rate of 73.3 percent. That is a 10.9 percent increase from the 11,421,000 tons during the same period last year, when the capability utilization rate was 67.5 percent.

American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that steel import permit applications for the month of January totaled 2,011,000 net tons (NT).  This is first time they have broken the 2 million ton mark since last September.  This was an 8.6% increase from the 1,852,000 permit tons recorded in December and an 11% increase from the December preliminary imports total of 1,811,000 NT.    Import permit tonnage for finished steel in January was 1,602,000 NT, up 11% from the preliminary imports total of 1,445,000 NT in December.  January 2011 total and finished steel import permit tons would annualize at 24,128,000 NT and 19,226,000 NT, up 1% and 2%, respectively, from the 23,868,000 NT and 18,787,000 NT imported in 2010.

In January, the largest finished steel import permit applications for offshore countries were for Korea (213,000 NT, up 22% from December), Japan (134,000 NT, up 25%), Germany (94,000 NT, up 31%), Australia (74,000 NT, up 44%) and China (54,000 NT, down 2%).     The estimated finished steel import market share in January was 20%.

Finished steel import permits for major products that registered large increases in January vs. the December preliminary include line pipe (up 56%), oil country goods (up 46%), standard pipe (up 32%), sheets and strip all other metallic coated (up 30%), reinforcing bar (up 25%), wire rods (up 22%)   and plates in coil (up 21%). 

The March alloy surcharge for T304 stainless is 1.2495 lb and should increase to 1.37 lb in April. The T316L alloy surcharge is 1.79 lb and will increase to 1.95 lb in April.