The latest Producer Price Index (PPI) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) was released last week and shows prices for materials used in door and window manufacturing slightly up for most entries compared to August, but mostly steady or positive in a year-over-year comparison.
In September, the monthly PPI for flat glass in the commodity category continued to climb, rising by 0.4% from the previous month and up 2.9% compared to the previous year. According to BLS, the commodity classification “organizes products and services by similarity or material composition, regardless of the industry classification of the producing establishment.”
The index for flat glass manufacturing in the industry classification broke the positive trend dropping 1.1% from August 2023, while marking a 5.1% increase on a year-over-year basis. The industry classification measures “changes in prices received for the industry’s output sold outside the industry (that is, its net output).”
The PPI for metal windows didn’t change from August to September but eked out a 0.9% gain over the September 2022 report. Prices for metal doors and frames also increased from August to September, albeit by just 0.6% and by 3.0% since last year. Prices for wood window units also stagnated from the previous month but remained up 4.5% on a year-over-year basis. Prices for wood doors for interior and exterior applications also increased in September 2023, up 0.2% from August, and that carried over to an increase of 5.0% over September 2022 pricing.
The price for thermoplastic resins and plastic materials increased 0.3% over August 2023 but dropped by 13.4% from September of last year. Prices for fiberglass plastic products increased by 0.1% from the previous month, increasing by 9.2% over the previous September.
The cost of builders’ hardware, which includes hardware used in doors and windows, remained steady from August to September, and rose by 0.5% from September 2022.
Monthly and Yearly Change in Door and Window Material Prices
| Category | August to September 2023 | September 2022 to September 2023 |
| Flat Glass | +0.4% | +2.9% |
| Flat Glass Manufacturing | -1.1% | -5.1% |
| Metal Windows | 0.0% | 0.9% |
| Metal Doors and Frames | +0.6% | +3.0% |
| Wood Window Units | 0.0% | +4.5% |
| Wood Doors | +0.2% | +5.0% |
| Thermoplastic Resins and Plastic Materials | +0.3% | -13.4% |
| Fiberglass Plastic Products | +0.1% | +9.2% |
| Builders’ Hardware | 0.0% | +0.5% |