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.
 
                                     March 2002              March 2001
                                     Cumulative To           Cumulative To
                                     Date - Final            Date - Final
     Countries and
        Areas                       Quantity     Value      Quantity     Value
 
Total Census Basis                  245,497     404,352     213,216     428,685
North America                        49,429      88,742      49,374     101,576
        Canada                       32,690      66,397      28,319      66,379
        Mexico                       16,740      22,345      21,055      35,197
Western Europe                      114,439     179,213     117,556     219,820
    Euro Area                        84,748     133,000      82,394     151,579
    European Union                  113,368     175,893     116,879     216,946
        Austria                       1,087       4,277         805       3,394
        Belgium                      11,817      15,446       7,731      14,839
        Finland                       1,670       3,027       2,134       4,017
        France                        8,925      21,150       7,358      20,871
        Germany                      10,119      18,775      11,790      28,954
        Italy                        16,855      31,373      18,508      40,173
        Netherlands                     122         497          48         149
        Spain                        33,783      37,523      34,019      39,170
        Sweden                       12,890      24,229      14,908      35,776
        United Kingdom               14,934      17,255      19,146      28,572
        Other EU                      1,164       2,340         433       1,030
    European Free Trade
    Association                         832       2,594         491       2,525
        Norway                          261         567          27         106
        Switzerland                     571       2,028         464       2,419
        Other EFTA                      (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
    Turkey                               53         384         (-)         (-)
    Other Western Europe                187         341         186         349
Eastern Europe/FSR                      499         826         787       1,372
        Poland                          (-)         (-)          32          64
        Former Soviet Republics         413         709         399         635
            Moldova                     (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
            Ukraine                     190         352          26          23
            Russia                      223         357         371         604
            Other FSR                   (-)         (-)           2           9
        Other EE                         86         117         356         673
Pacific Rim Countries                39,132      85,365      35,997      88,858
        Australia                        73         391          80         500
        China                         3,584       6,729       1,561       4,209
        Indonesia                       128         167         353         551
        Japan                         5,661      22,882       6,246      25,308
        Korea                        10,614      21,738      10,881      24,842
        Taiwan                       18,203      31,528      15,981      31,263
        Other Pacific Rim               869       1,930         896       2,185
South/Central America                 2,862       3,986       1,739       2,879
        Argentina                       (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
        Brazil                        2,730       3,749       1,462       2,301
        Colombia                         23          45         (-)         (-)
        Venezuela                       (-)         (-)         (-)         (-)
        Other S/C A                     109         192         278         578
Other Countries                      39,134      46,219       7,764      14,180
        India                        34,050      39,264       3,567       6,914
        South Africa                  3,402       4,210       2,916       4,508
        Other                         1,682       2,744       1,281       2,758
 
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."