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 September 2004 August 2004 Preliminary Preliminary Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 81,307 224,515 71,359 205,277 Ingots And Steel For Castings 475 913 1,467 2,532 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 14,772 34,288 7,177 17,616 Wire Rods 3,200 7,382 3,189 7,470 Structural Shapes Heavy 210 855 196 1,042 Plates Cut Lengths 3,073 7,410 2,752 7,298 Plates In Coils 1,100 2,802 2,168 5,811 Bars - Hot Rolled 849 2,545 1,569 4,925 Bars - Light Shaped 837 2,470 1,013 2,935 Bars - Cold Finished 5,963 19,028 5,348 18,175 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 9,075 39,662 9,599 44,875 Wire Drawn 2,966 11,086 3,002 11,691 Sheets Hot Rolled 1,161 2,295 2,311 4,910 Sheets Cold Rolled 34,363 82,528 28,203 64,576 Strip - Hot Rolled 54 54 410 1,025 Strip - Cold Rolled 3,210 11,198 2,954 10,395 ______________________________________________________________ August 2004 Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 72,518 208,289 Ingots And Steel For Castings 1,467 2,532 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 7,391 18,067 Wire Rods 3,375 7,973 Structural Shapes Heavy 256 1,042 Plates Cut Lengths 2,816 7,298 Plates In Coils 2,168 5,811 Bars - Hot Rolled 1,625 5,012 Bars - Light Shaped 1,013 2,935 Bars - Cold Finished 5,406 18,371 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 9,735 45,425 Wire Drawn 3,026 11,947 Sheets Hot Rolled 2,311 4,910 Sheets Cold Rolled 28,507 65,321 Strip - Hot Rolled 410 1,025 Strip - Cold Rolled 3,009 10,620 ______________________________________________________________ September 2003 August 2003 Final Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 63,139 127,218 54,218 112,722 Ingots And Steel For Castings 3,294 4,148 1,594 2,133 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 10,621 16,453 10,390 15,395 Wire Rods 1,647 2,963 2,552 4,371 Structural Shapes Heavy 260 785 133 470 Plates Cut Lengths 1,324 2,804 2,025 3,885 Plates In Coils 3,014 4,948 1,834 3,225 Bars - Hot Rolled 613 1,278 1,133 2,449 Bars - Light Shaped 804 1,659 382 826 Bars - Cold Finished 4,037 9,522 2,911 7,064 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 7,690 26,732 7,417 24,882 Wire Drawn 2,476 7,688 2,147 7,085 Sheets Hot Rolled 6,270 7,775 710 858 Sheets Cold Rolled 18,193 32,221 18,221 31,706 Strip - Hot Rolled 30 65 51 126 Strip - Cold Rolled 2,867 8,177 2,720 8,248 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 Nick Orsini (301-763-2311), Foreign Trade Division, U.S. Census Bureau. SOURCE: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products: Preliminary September 2004 (CB-04-184)