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.

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

Total Census Basis                  361,500     712,249     509,828     989,452
North America                        83,237     165,463      89,305     185,776
        Canada                       49,744     112,351      45,412     115,291
        Mexico                       33,493      53,112      43,893      70,485
Western Europe                      196,579     361,157     251,961     469,950
    Euro Area                       139,522     251,325     192,287     344,002
    European Union                  195,546     356,674     249,432     463,766
        Austria                       1,415       5,660       1,446       6,051
        Belgium                      18,023      29,598      39,844      62,703
        Finland                       3,393       6,200       5,435      11,250
        France                       12,439      36,602      21,741      53,340
        Germany                      15,934      41,924      17,850      45,070
        Italy                        30,105      66,049      27,698      56,285
        Netherlands                      60         255         217         896
        Spain                        58,151      65,022      78,042     108,322
        Sweden                       23,698      56,718      22,670      61,896
        United Kingdom               31,359      46,376      33,128      54,908
        Other EU                        969       2,269       1,361       3,046
    European Free Trade         
    Association                         775       4,019         955       3,732
        Norway                           32         188         (-)         (-)
        Switzerland                     743       3,830         955       3,732
        Other EFTA                      (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
    Turkey                              (-)         (-)          18          22
    Other Western Europe                258         464       1,556       2,431
Eastern Europe/FSR                    1,276       2,142       1,914       3,392
        Poland                           49         103          80         171
        Former Soviet Republics         676       1,092         909       1,410
            Moldova                     (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
            Ukraine                      26          23          94         113
            Russia                      648       1,061         814       1,293
            Other FSR                     2           9           1           4
        Other EE                        551         947         925       1,811
Pacific Rim Countries                64,818     155,936     110,716     245,468
        Australia                       129         790         120         711
        China                         2,470       6,471       3,706       7,974
        Indonesia                       428         660         581         997
        Japan                        11,028      44,289      13,957      48,547
        Korea                        21,295      46,201      41,636      80,932
        Taiwan                       28,128      54,322      48,938     102,718
        Other Pacific Rim             1,340       3,204       1,778       3,587
South/Central America                 3,233       5,072      16,039      19,416
        Argentina                       (-)         (-)          21          34
        Brazil                        2,927       4,419      15,736      18,807
        Colombia                        (-)         (-)          13          36
        Venezuela                       (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
        Other S/C A                     306         653         270         538
Other Countries                      12,356      22,479      39,892      65,450
        India                         5,305      10,392      13,599      22,270
        South Africa                  4,936       7,423      18,465      28,350
        Other                         2,115       4,664       7,828      14,830

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."