Minnesota Manufacturing Index – Special Edition: Tracking Raw Material Cost Trends Through Producer Price Index (PPI) Data

Key Takeaways

• Raw material cost trends show continued movement across key manufacturing input categories, with Producer Price Index (PPI) data highlighting evolving cost pressures.
• Commodity-level data indicates shifting price trends across metals, fuels, plastics, lumber, and chemicals used in manufacturing production.
• Five-year PPI trends and recent momentum metrics provide context for how input costs are changing across major industrial categories.

Manufacturing Input Cost Trends Highlight Ongoing Price Pressures

Producer Price Index (PPI) Overview

This special edition of the Minnesota Manufacturing Index examines raw material cost trends through the Producer Price Index (PPI), with a focus on commodity-level data relevant to manufacturing production.

While overall and manufacturing-specific PPI trends provide a broader macroeconomic view, the data is further disaggregated to highlight key input categories including metals and metal products, rubber and plastic products, fuels, lumber and wood products, and chemicals and allied products.

Commodity-Level Cost Trends Across Key Inputs

Metals, Fuels, Plastics, Lumber, and Chemicals

Commodity groups reflect the most commonly used raw materials in Minnesota manufacturing and are presented with five-year PPI visualizations alongside short-, medium-, and long-term change metrics.

These breakdowns highlight both recent price momentum and longer-term cost trends across major input categories, providing context for how manufacturing input costs are evolving over time.

Data Context and Scope

Producer Price Index data is a national macroeconomic indicator and is not specific to Minnesota. The disaggregated commodity groups included in this analysis were selected due to their relevance to Minnesota manufacturing inputs and production processes.

Together, these data points provide insight into how input costs are evolving across major categories, supporting more informed pricing, purchasing, and strategic decision-making.

Want to Stay Ahead in Minnesota Manufacturing?

Connect with Boyum Barenscheer’s Manufacturing Industry Team for insights, strategy guidance, and practical support to help navigate changing input cost conditions and broader manufacturing trends.

Access this Special Edition of the Minnesota Manufacturing Index to explore commodity-level PPI trends and review prior reports, including January through March 2026 updates and foundational economic indicator insights.