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 September 2006 August 2006 Preliminary Preliminary Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 72,724 282,258 99,740 361,067 Ingots And Steel For Castings 321 1,003 1,631 4,278 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 8,045 28,423 9,031 35,023 Wire Rods 1,558 5,542 1,747 4,994 Structural Shapes Heavy 270 1,077 237 919 Plates Cut Lengths 3,928 21,171 6,196 29,793 Plates In Coils 1,597 5,462 4,292 13,804 Bars - Hot Rolled 2,054 8,324 2,406 11,437 Bars - Light Shaped 994 3,266 1,388 5,061 Bars - Cold Finished 4,848 21,156 7,157 30,423 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 10,415 55,886 12,005 68,945 Wire Drawn 3,325 16,411 3,803 18,027 Sheets Hot Rolled 1,749 2,624 5,894 6,972 Sheets Cold Rolled 30,701 100,261 39,652 114,940 Strip - Hot Rolled 306 927 477 1,530 Strip - Cold Rolled 2,613 10,722 3,823 14,922 -------------------------------------------------------------- August 2006 Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 101,849 381,679 Ingots And Steel For Castings 1,631 4,278 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 9,062 34,855 Wire Rods 1,747 4,994 Structural Shapes Heavy 237 919 Plates Cut Lengths 6,216 29,856 Plates In Coils 4,292 13,804 Bars - Hot Rolled 2,500 12,717 Bars - Light Shaped 1,401 5,110 Bars - Cold Finished 7,309 31,419 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 13,105 82,814 Wire Drawn 3,804 18,047 Sheets Hot Rolled 5,914 7,050 Sheets Cold Rolled 40,174 118,583 Strip - Hot Rolled 514 1,810 Strip - Cold Rolled 3,944 15,423 -------------------------------------------------------------- September 2005 August 2005 Final Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 67,905 226,736 74,460 267,393 Ingots And Steel For Castings 680 2,272 1,100 2,624 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 7,387 21,662 7,588 23,351 Wire Rods 1,866 6,004 3,196 9,291 Structural Shapes Heavy 59 240 157 612 Plates Cut Lengths 3,856 11,603 3,673 14,896 Plates In Coils 3,445 10,262 3,977 13,084 Bars - Hot Rolled 2,216 8,886 1,501 6,049 Bars - Light Shaped 421 1,337 258 970 Bars - Cold Finished 5,989 23,135 7,853 30,251 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 9,720 51,305 11,694 67,281 Wire Drawn 2,819 12,142 3,352 14,948 Sheets Hot Rolled 1,380 3,187 1,989 3,413 Sheets Cold Rolled 24,986 62,679 24,228 64,802 Strip - Hot Rolled 760 2,492 299 883 Strip - Cold Rolled 2,320 9,531 3,596 14,938 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 September 2006 (CB-06-158)