Not Seasonally Adjusted Exhibit 1b: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Stainless Steel Products: (Census Basis) Quantity in metric tons/ value in thousands of dollars. Details may not equal totals due to rounding August 2004 July 2004 Preliminary Preliminary Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 71,359 205,277 73,175 202,243 Ingots And Steel For Castings 1,467 2,532 372 701 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 7,177 17,616 12,265 28,208 Wire Rods 3,189 7,470 3,268 8,002 Structural Shapes Heavy 196 1,042 250 877 Plates Cut Lengths 2,752 7,298 2,032 5,620 Plates In Coils 2,168 5,811 2,892 8,099 Bars - Hot Rolled 1,569 4,925 1,676 5,976 Bars - Light Shaped 1,013 2,935 1,106 3,173 Bars - Cold Finished 5,348 18,175 4,685 14,551 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 9,599 44,875 9,651 40,886 Wire Drawn 3,002 11,691 3,380 12,832 Sheets Hot Rolled 2,311 4,910 464 1,133 Sheets Cold Rolled 28,203 64,576 28,118 61,519 Strip - Hot Rolled 410 1,025 224 574 Strip - Cold Rolled 2,954 10,395 2,793 10,091 ______________________________________________________________ July 2004 Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 80,768 219,230 Ingots And Steel For Castings 1,268 2,732 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 17,875 38,234 Wire Rods 3,286 8,021 Structural Shapes Heavy 248 817 Plates Cut Lengths 2,059 5,700 Plates In Coils 2,981 8,356 Bars - Hot Rolled 1,739 6,123 Bars - Light Shaped 1,106 3,173 Bars - Cold Finished 4,702 14,623 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 10,108 44,183 Wire Drawn 3,382 12,868 Sheets Hot Rolled 464 1,133 Sheets Cold Rolled 28,481 62,257 Strip - Hot Rolled 224 574 Strip - Cold Rolled 2,845 10,436 ______________________________________________________________ August 2003 July 2003 Final Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 54,218 112,722 62,270 129,850 Ingots And Steel For Castings 1,594 2,133 3,270 4,184 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 10,390 15,395 11,382 17,414 Wire Rods 2,552 4,371 2,500 4,410 Structural Shapes Heavy 133 470 39 129 Plates Cut Lengths 2,025 3,885 2,026 4,055 Plates In Coils 1,834 3,225 2,825 4,976 Bars - Hot Rolled 1,133 2,449 1,261 2,547 Bars - Light Shaped 382 826 565 1,214 Bars - Cold Finished 2,911 7,064 4,631 10,680 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 7,417 24,882 7,941 27,424 Wire Drawn 2,147 7,085 2,502 7,722 Sheets Hot Rolled 710 858 511 869 Sheets Cold Rolled 18,221 31,706 19,720 34,531 Strip - Hot Rolled 51 126 23 61 Strip - Cold Rolled 2,720 8,248 3,074 9,633 NOTE: See the cover report specifically explaining the current month's preliminary steel imports trade data or www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/steel_index.html. CONTACT: For more information, contact Haydn R. Mearkle (301-763-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-763-2311), Foreign Trade Division, U.S. Census Bureau. SOURCE: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products: Preliminary August 2004 (CB-04-164)