Exhibit 1b: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Stainless Steel Products: (Census Basis) Not Seasonally Adjusted Quantity in metric tons/ value in thousands of dollars. Details may not equal totals due to rounding February 2006 January 2006 Preliminary Preliminary Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 72,283 229,861 69,108 231,786 Ingots And Steel For Castings 865 3,052 841 3,637 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 9,058 24,279 6,751 17,590 Wire Rods 1,732 4,565 2,816 7,497 Structural Shapes Heavy 51 182 143 501 Plates Cut Lengths 3,837 12,921 3,259 12,583 Plates In Coils 1,668 4,723 1,933 5,076 Bars - Hot Rolled 1,075 4,788 1,671 7,224 Bars - Light Shaped 472 1,361 500 1,456 Bars - Cold Finished 6,450 23,739 5,695 22,209 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 8,564 49,944 10,964 60,476 Wire Drawn 2,864 12,893 3,648 15,799 Sheets Hot Rolled 1,346 2,244 1,870 2,861 Sheets Cold Rolled 31,696 74,646 25,676 62,189 Strip - Hot Rolled 231 746 388 813 Strip - Cold Rolled 2,374 9,779 2,954 11,874 -------------------------------------------------------------- January 2006 Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 72,732 243,204 Ingots And Steel For Castings 841 3,637 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 6,994 18,370 Wire Rods 2,882 7,736 Structural Shapes Heavy 171 612 Plates Cut Lengths 3,411 12,996 Plates In Coils 2,044 5,397 Bars - Hot Rolled 1,705 7,406 Bars - Light Shaped 501 1,467 Bars - Cold Finished 5,937 23,050 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 11,236 62,599 Wire Drawn 3,865 16,614 Sheets Hot Rolled 1,902 2,929 Sheets Cold Rolled 27,591 66,420 Strip - Hot Rolled 368 813 Strip - Cold Rolled 3,284 13,159 -------------------------------------------------------------- February 2005 January 2005 Final Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 82,775 264,608 79,185 250,505 Ingots And Steel For Castings 1,984 4,477 2,128 4,322 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 15,727 40,147 6,855 20,358 Wire Rods 2,970 8,001 4,276 10,986 Structural Shapes Heavy 102 338 153 653 Plates Cut Lengths 3,218 10,559 2,663 8,444 Plates In Coils 2,286 6,680 2,015 5,791 Bars - Hot Rolled 1,835 7,676 1,560 5,784 Bars - Light Shaped 1,041 3,137 1,054 3,147 Bars - Cold Finished 6,764 27,534 7,316 27,550 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 9,975 48,653 10,022 47,962 Wire Drawn 3,252 12,930 3,322 13,719 Sheets Hot Rolled 499 1,074 1,054 2,267 Sheets Cold Rolled 30,073 80,628 33,058 85,955 Strip - Hot Rolled 115 250 62 159 Strip - Cold Rolled 2,934 12,524 3,647 13,408 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 2006 (CB-06-44)