U.S. Manufacturing Capacity Utilization: Manufacturing capacity utilization (MCU) reached 76.55% in July 2021, up 1.34% month on month (m/m). On a year on year (y/y) comparison, the MCU was up 9.27%.

Figure 1 charts capacity utilization from 2010 to present. After a long run at the bottom of the “Recession Zone”, the index has begun to move higher following the impacts of Covid-19.

At Gerdau, we regularly monitor the manufacturing capacity utilization data issued by the Federal Reserve because it provides excellent insight into the health of U.S. manufacturing activity. We know that when manufacturing is performing well, so are steel sales, and we want to keep you – our valued readers – informed.