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 April 2006 March 2006 Preliminary Preliminary Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 75,035 250,085 78,099 247,398 Ingots And Steel For Castings 2,514 4,862 1,447 3,660 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 9,138 25,077 9,808 27,794 Wire Rods 2,106 5,541 2,119 5,565 Structural Shapes Heavy 219 816 160 476 Plates Cut Lengths 3,286 12,145 3,216 10,508 Plates In Coils 1,861 5,653 2,260 6,235 Bars - Hot Rolled 1,488 7,029 1,383 6,292 Bars - Light Shaped 888 2,206 659 1,795 Bars - Cold Finished 6,962 27,692 7,146 25,161 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 10,525 60,887 9,445 53,302 Wire Drawn 3,425 15,175 3,841 15,996 Sheets Hot Rolled 565 878 1,748 3,158 Sheets Cold Rolled 29,017 69,899 31,269 73,992 Strip - Hot Rolled 254 557 253 758 Strip - Cold Rolled 2,786 11,668 3,345 12,706 -------------------------------------------------------------- March 2006 Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 79,437 251,990 Ingots And Steel For Castings 1,544 4,097 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 10,029 28,420 Wire Rods 2,119 5,565 Structural Shapes Heavy 163 492 Plates Cut Lengths 3,387 10,929 Plates In Coils 2,265 6,261 Bars - Hot Rolled 1,407 6,544 Bars - Light Shaped 659 1,795 Bars - Cold Finished 7,190 25,368 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 9,708 54,431 Wire Drawn 3,870 16,101 Sheets Hot Rolled 1,758 3,222 Sheets Cold Rolled 31,549 74,658 Strip - Hot Rolled 253 758 Strip - Cold Rolled 3,538 13,348 -------------------------------------------------------------- April 2005 March 2005 Final Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 76,815 262,713 81,608 268,420 Ingots And Steel For Castings 1,998 5,295 1,660 4,902 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 16,018 45,181 16,359 43,615 Wire Rods 3,692 9,893 3,164 8,850 Structural Shapes Heavy 130 510 201 816 Plates Cut Lengths 4,481 19,095 3,916 15,947 Plates In Coils 2,207 7,076 2,417 7,683 Bars - Hot Rolled 2,203 8,455 2,130 7,647 Bars - Light Shaped 538 1,800 629 2,008 Bars - Cold Finished 8,419 32,773 8,541 32,711 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 11,044 53,161 9,342 47,357 Wire Drawn 3,349 14,984 3,400 14,481 Sheets Hot Rolled 970 1,936 837 1,215 Sheets Cold Rolled 18,117 48,758 26,034 68,964 Strip - Hot Rolled 190 381 37 85 Strip - Cold Rolled 3,458 13,414 2,942 12,138 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 April 2006 (CB-06-78)