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 November 2006 October 2006 Preliminary Preliminary Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 94,174 407,736 90,876 393,124 Ingots And Steel For Castings 489 1,700 838 2,667 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 7,282 32,340 10,019 35,222 Wire Rods 2,737 10,165 2,366 8,611 Structural Shapes Heavy 333 1,601 352 1,867 Plates Cut Lengths 7,046 34,492 5,805 36,817 Plates In Coils 6,612 25,821 2,645 10,882 Bars - Hot Rolled 2,922 14,004 2,708 12,838 Bars - Light Shaped 587 2,551 804 3,138 Bars - Cold Finished 8,408 40,237 8,541 39,544 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 15,313 90,540 12,940 73,932 Wire Drawn 3,628 19,691 4,047 20,789 Sheets Hot Rolled 3,155 8,448 1,896 4,071 Sheets Cold Rolled 32,083 108,543 34,395 125,919 Strip - Hot Rolled 403 1,769 289 1,251 Strip - Cold Rolled 3,175 15,834 3,230 15,577 -------------------------------------------------------------- October 2006 Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 97,711 413,291 Ingots And Steel For Castings 840 2,678 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 10,063 35,445 Wire Rods 2,366 8,611 Structural Shapes Heavy 352 1,867 Plates Cut Lengths 6,714 44,203 Plates In Coils 2,666 10,941 Bars - Hot Rolled 3,306 13,789 Bars - Light Shaped 804 3,138 Bars - Cold Finished 8,541 39,544 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 12,988 74,067 Wire Drawn 4,167 21,181 Sheets Hot Rolled 5,485 9,528 Sheets Cold Rolled 35,880 131,342 Strip - Hot Rolled 289 1,254 Strip - Cold Rolled 3,249 15,703 -------------------------------------------------------------- November 2005 October 2005 Final Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 67,731 233,183 67,072 236,843 Ingots And Steel For Castings 1,789 5,339 1,221 3,926 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 6,028 17,277 8,211 25,375 Wire Rods 2,217 6,505 1,968 5,526 Structural Shapes Heavy 91 325 81 355 Plates Cut Lengths 4,321 14,213 4,239 12,807 Plates In Coils 1,702 4,917 1,443 4,361 Bars - Hot Rolled 1,718 7,742 1,913 8,683 Bars - Light Shaped 537 1,556 813 2,436 Bars - Cold Finished 7,572 30,434 6,690 26,071 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 10,555 58,265 9,824 59,441 Wire Drawn 3,246 13,878 3,294 14,485 Sheets Hot Rolled 2,062 3,892 1,240 2,477 Sheets Cold Rolled 21,902 54,484 23,370 59,220 Strip - Hot Rolled 720 2,145 264 764 Strip - Cold Rolled 3,271 12,212 2,500 10,916 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 Janet Freas (301-763-2311), Foreign Trade Division, U.S. Census Bureau. SOURCE: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products: Preliminary November 2006 (CB-06-188)