The Base price is negotiated individually with each customer and is separated from volatile alloy price movements (in order not to be fluctuating daily). Base prices are usually negotiated on a monthly basis.
Extras describe material-specific charges for non-standardized product dimensions and are added or deducted to/from the base price. Typical extras are applied for special thicknesses, surfaces, packaging, etc.
The Alloy Surcharge (AS) is an instrument to pass on changes in alloy costs along the value chain in the stainless steel industry. Alloy Surcharges are product-specific as alloy compositions differ within the range of grades and calculation periods may be different. Monthly average calculation has been the industry standard, i.e. the average alloy costs of a fixed period prior to the delivery of the product was applied to determine the alloy surcharge. Alloy surcharges are usually published month by month.