Not Seasonally Adjusted

  Exhibit 4b.  U.S. Imports For Consumption of Stainless Steel Products From
                Selected Countries and Areas:  (Census Basis)

              Quantity in metric tons/value In thousands of dollars.
         (-) Represents zero or less than one half of measurement shown.
                   Details may not equal totals due to rounding.

                                       January 2001            January 2000
                                       Cumulative To           Cumulative To
                                       Date - Final            Date - Final
     Countries and                                       
        Areas                       Quantity     Value      Quantity     Value

Total Census Basis                   69,707     144,122      88,045     170,511
North America                        15,788      33,766      17,370      34,504
        Canada                        8,484      21,096       8,719      21,339
        Mexico                        7,304      12,670       8,651      13,165
Western Europe                       37,053      70,440      40,983      77,979
    Euro Area                        26,681      48,645      29,434      54,806
    European Union                   36,856      69,869      40,658      77,182
        Austria                         295       1,398         283       1,309
        Belgium                       2,104       3,800       7,284      10,857
        Finland                         708       1,421         858       1,639
        France                        2,468       7,039       3,502      10,506
        Germany                       4,144      10,127       3,146       8,201
        Italy                         5,177      10,984       5,316       9,551
        Netherlands                     (-)         (-)          81         238
        Spain                        11,785      13,874       8,964      12,506
        Sweden                        3,836      11,087       5,023      12,166
        United Kingdom                6,150       9,703       5,887       9,551
        Other EU                        189         437         315         658
    European Free Trade         
    Association                          95         386         122         532
        Norway                            2          16         (-)         (-)
        Switzerland                      94         369         122         532
        Other EFTA                      (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
    Turkey                              (-)         (-)          18          19
    Other Western Europe                101         185         185         247
Eastern Europe/FSR                      411         725         341         563
        Poland                           14          28         (-)         (-)
        Former Soviet Republics         273         426         174         287
            Moldova                     (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
            Ukraine                      26          23         (-)         (-)
            Russia                      248         403         173         283
            Other FSR                   (-)         (-)           1           4
        Other EE                        124         271         167         276
Pacific Rim Countries                13,428      33,742      21,367      45,800
        Australia                        52         326          15          64
        China                           478       1,248         479       1,075
        Indonesia                        39          61         (-)         (-)
        Japan                         2,442       9,509       4,012      12,608
        Korea                         4,435      10,241       5,966      10,708
        Taiwan                        5,717      11,668      10,654      20,833
        Other Pacific Rim               265         688         241         512
South/Central America                 1,225       1,947       2,035       2,448
        Argentina                       (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
        Brazil                        1,135       1,753       1,971       2,326
        Colombia                        (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
        Venezuela                       (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
        Other S/C A                      90         194          64         123
Other Countries                       1,802       3,502       5,949       9,216
        India                         1,088       2,259       1,670       2,800
        South Africa                    521         804       2,806       3,879
        Other                           192         440       1,473       2,537

CONTACT: For more information, contact Haydn R. Mearkle (301-457-2246) or Nick
         Orsini (301-457-2311), Foreign Trade Division, U.S. Census Bureau.

NOTE:  For information on more detailed data available, please see record 
       titled "MORE DETAILED FOREIGN TRADE DATA AVAILABLE."