Producer Price Index for corrugated shipping containers, the finished box, a WPU0915 series distinct from WPU091405 (Corrugated Paperboard in Sheets and Rolls, Lined and Unlined), the board the box is made from.
Paste straight into Excel, Google Sheets or an email. Spreadsheet format lands as two columns.
| Month | Value | Change m/m |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | +0.7% | |
| Aug 2026 | +2.3% | |
| Jul 2026 | +2.0% | |
| Jun 2026 | +1.4% | |
| May 2026 | +2.5% | |
| Apr 2026 | −0.2% | |
| Mar 2026 | −0.2% | |
| Feb 2026 | +0.1% | |
| Jan 2026 | +0.0% | |
| Dec 2025 | −0.0% | |
| Nov 2025 | +0.0% | |
| Oct 2025 | −0.0% | |
| Sep 2025 | −0.1% |
Same numbers as the chart, straight from BLS. Dates are the first of each period, the way BLS reports them.
Corrugated boxes rose 8.9% over the last 12 months, more than any of its main inputs. Input costs are not adding pressure right now.
Pulp, paper, and allied productsPulp, paper, and prod., ex. bldg. paperConverted paper and paperboard productsPaper boxes and containers
Sources: WPU09150301 (Corrugated Shipping Containers); BLS WPU091405.
Since 2016, this index has followed the corrugated board price index in the same month and moved about two thirds as far as it over a year.
Over the 12 months to Sep 2026, the corrugated board price index rose 7.9% and this index rose 8.9%.
A starting point citing this series by name and code. Replace the bracketed terms with your contract's actual scope before use.
The [affected portion] of the Contract Price shall be adjusted using US PPI — Corrugated Shipping Containers (BLS series WPU09150301), published by BLS. Base Period: the index value published for September 2026 (or the month of contract signing, if different) is the Base Value. Adjustment: at each Adjustment Date, the Current Value is the most recently published three-month average of the index (the Averaging Window). The Escalation Factor equals Current Value divided by Base Value. Cap: the Escalation Factor applied under this clause shall not exceed 1.10 or fall below 0.90 (a 10% cap and floor) in any single Adjustment Date, regardless of the index's actual movement. [Replace bracketed terms with your contract's actual affected-portion definition and adjustment-date schedule before use. This is a drafting starting point, not legal advice.]
Packaging supply contracts for finished boxes name this series directly. It sits one stage downstream of corrugated paperboard sheets and rolls, so a box clause and a board clause on the same project follow related but separate prices.
Divide the current value of BLS series WPU09150301 (Corrugated Shipping Containers) by its value at contract signing, then apply that ratio to the corrugated boxes part of the price. A usable clause also names an averaging window, a rule for revised values and missing months, and a cap.
Escalake tracks US PPI — Corrugated Shipping Containers, applies your formula, and gives both sides a number they can confirm, no spreadsheet required.