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U.S. steelmakers made more than 95 million tons of steel in 2018, the most since 2007.

The United States produced 98.1 million tons of steel in 2007, but has only manufactured an average of 81.9 million tons a year since then, according to the World Steel Association.

Domestic steel production grew by more than 6.2 percent to 95 million tons as of Dec. 29, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Final figures for 2018 will be available at a later date.

Great Lakes steel production rose to 733,000 tons last week, an increase of 1.52 percent.

Steel mills in the Great Lakes region made 711,000 tons of metal the previous week, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Most of the steel made in the Great Lakes region is produced around the southern shore of Lake Michigan in Lake and Porter counties.

Overall, domestic steel mills made 1.899 million tons of metal last week, up from the 1.87 million tons made the previous week but up by 13.3 percent as compared to the same time last year.

U.S. steel mills have run at a capacity utilization rate of 78.3 percent through Dec. 29 last year, up from 74 percent at the same point in 2017, according to the AISI.