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.
                    Details may not equal totals due to rounding
                                           

                                      January 2005              January 2004
                                      Cumulative to             Cumulative to
                                      Date - Final              Date - Final
Countries and
Areas                           Quantity    Value       Quantity    Value

Total Census Basis                    79,185     250,505      52,628     121,063

North America                         11,283      31,818      12,027      28,871
    Canada                             1,828      10,325       4,151      14,538
    Mexico                             9,455      21,493       7,876      14,333
Europe                                37,227     123,387      24,087      53,649
    European Union                    36,173     119,861      23,982      53,207
        Austria                          733       3,189         377       1,506
        Belgium                        3,866      11,696       1,320       3,040
        Czech Republic                    47         456           0           0
        Finland                        1,600       4,896         379         873
        France                         2,467       9,703       3,558       7,959
        Germany                        6,118      19,020       2,665       6,544
        Hungary                            0           0           0           0
        Italy                          9,692      28,079       5,370      10,204
        Netherlands                       32         256          30          79
        Poland                            58         164           0           0
        Spain                            808       3,790         480       1,664
        Sweden                         5,177      21,337       2,847       7,920
        United Kingdom                 5,288      16,207       6,764      12,918
        Other EU                         285       1,069         192         499
    Moldova                                0           0           0           0
    Norway                                 0           0           9          28
    Russia                                13          18          38          68
    Switzerland                          273       1,180          57         346
    Turkey                               103         327           0           0
    Ukraine                              520       1,616           0           0
    Other Europe                         145         386           0           0
Euro Area                             25,426      81,052      14,241      32,072
Pacific Rim Countries                 22,485      73,619      12,241      30,710
    Australia                             71         135          17          50
    China                              8,059      23,899       2,729       6,105
    Indonesia                             52         161           0           0
    Japan                              2,609      11,055       2,643       9,017
    Newly Industrialized                                                        
    Countries(NICS)                   11,294      37,154       6,637      15,039
        Hong Kong                          1           4           1          23
        Korea                          4,441      14,182       2,235       4,925
        Singapore                         43         124          95         225
        Taiwan                         6,809      22,843       4,306       9,866
        Other Pacific Rim                399       1,215         215         498
South/Central America                  2,445       6,113       1,054       1,799
        Argentina                          2           7           0           0
        Brazil                         2,344       6,020       1,034       1,766
        Chile                              0           0           0           0
        Colombia                           0           0           0           0
        Venezuela                          0           0           2           3
        Other S/C A                       99          86          19          30
Other Countries                        5,745      15,568       3,218       6,035
        Egypt                              0           0           0           0
        India                          3,375       9,419       2,329       4,557
        South Africa                   1,364       3,421         757       1,206
        Thailand                         821       2,253         132         272
        Other                            184         475           0           0
                                           
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 (301-763-6959) or Vanessa Ware
(301-763-2311), Foreign Trade Division, U.S. Census Bureau.

SOURCE:  U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products: Preliminary
February 2005 (CB-05-41)