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.


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

Total Census Basis                  140,915     285,573     173,965     335,175
North America                        31,516      66,787      34,316      68,597
        Canada                       18,317      44,517      17,233      42,382
        Mexico                       13,199      22,270      17,083      26,215
Western Europe                       77,618     145,856      83,941     158,058
    Euro Area                        54,772     100,783      62,925     114,266
    European Union                   77,182     144,004      83,162     156,089
        Austria                         462       2,053         484       2,132
        Belgium                       5,018       8,719      12,762      20,032
        Finland                       1,578       3,009       2,155       4,247
        France                        4,965      14,875       6,631      19,376
        Germany                       8,841      20,741       6,731      16,676
        Italy                        10,945      24,262      10,584      20,300
        Netherlands                      20          52         147         377
        Spain                        22,942      27,062      23,422      31,102
        Sweden                        9,724      23,805       9,072      23,192
        United Kingdom               12,406      18,758      10,580      17,419
        Other EU                        281         669         594       1,236
    European Free Trade         
    Association                         280       1,558         303       1,203
        Norway                            2          16         (-)         (-)
        Switzerland                     278       1,542         303       1,203
        Other EFTA                      (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
    Turkey                              (-)         (-)          18          22
    Other Western Europe                156         295         458         744
Eastern Europe/FSR                      491         847         619       1,011
        Poland                           14          28          31          39
        Former Soviet Republics         275         435         333         542
            Moldova                     (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
            Ukraine                      26          23         (-)         (-)
            Russia                      248         403         333         539
            Other FSR                     2           9           1           4
        Other EE                        201         384         254         430
Pacific Rim Countries                24,513      59,814      40,134      85,898
        Australia                        55         345          25         103
        China                           946       2,569         791       1,795
        Indonesia                       258         399         180         282
        Japan                         4,223      16,221       5,967      20,130
        Korea                         7,755      17,621      14,475      26,513
        Taiwan                       10,762      21,341      18,164      35,934
        Other Pacific Rim               515       1,318         532       1,141
South/Central America                 1,377       2,252       6,150       7,638
        Argentina                       (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
        Brazil                        1,161       1,811       6,036       7,403
        Colombia                        (-)         (-)          13          36
        Venezuela                       (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
        Other S/C A                     216         441         101         199
Other Countries                       5,400      10,017       8,806      13,974
        India                         2,295       4,575       2,515       4,246
        South Africa                  2,183       3,457       3,237       4,501
        Other                           923       1,985       3,054       5,226

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."