SHANGHAI, Sept. 27 (SMM) –Based on a recent SMM survey of 18 domestic copper rod producers, the average operating rate through the first three weeks of September was 71.9%. The operating rates in Taizhou city, Zhejiang province, were around 40% due to impacts from environmental protection inspections. Copper rod producers told SMM that orders during September didn’t experience significant increases compared with a month earlier, as downstream end-users have been cautious towards purchases since the beginning of this year, preferring to buy on an as-needed basis. As a result, market consumption was generally weak, with on sign of significantly increasing production.