PPI: Prices Climb Slows but Continues in February
March 18th, 2022 by EditorThe latest Producer Price Index (PPI) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) dropped this week and it shows prices for materials used in door and window manufacturing continued to increase across the board, not only from January to February 2022, but on a year-over-year basis as well, even if the increases weren’t as drastic as they were early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
In February, the monthly PPI for flat glass in the commodity category continued to climb, rising by 0.2% from the previous month and up 10.0% 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 actually dropped 0.6% from January 2022, but still increased 11.9% 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 increased by 1.2% from January and clocks in at 26.6% over the February 2021 report. Prices for metal doors and frames also increased from January to February, rising 0.9% and also improving 40.1% since last year. Prices for wood window units remained stable from one month to the next, but were up 11.0% over 2021. Prices for wood doors for interior and exterior applications showed the largest increase in pricing from the previous month, up 5.1% over January 2021 and continued to climb, coming in 19.9% on a year-over-year basis.
The price for thermoplastic resins and plastic materials was the second drop on this month’s report, down 0.2% over January 2022, but saw a jump of 22.1% from February of last year. Prices for fiberglass plastic products increased by 0.4% from the previous month and had an increase of 15.0% over the previous February.
The cost of builders’ hardware, which includes hardware used in doors and windows, rose 0.4% from January to February, and increased by 15.8% from February 2021.
Monthly and Yearly Change in Door and Window Material Prices
| Category | January to February 2022 | February 2021 to February 2022 |
| Flat Glass | +0.2% | +10.0% |
| Flat Glass Manufacturing | -0.6% | +11.9% |
| Metal Windows | +1.2% | +26.6% |
| Metal Doors and Frames | +0.9% | +40.1% |
| Wood Window Units | +0.0% | +11.0% |
| Wood Doors | +5.1% | +19.9% |
| Thermoplastic Resins and Plastic Materials | -0.2% | +22.1% |
| Fiberglass Plastic Products | +0.4% | +15.0% |
| Builders’ Hardware | +0.4% | +15.8% |
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