Manufacturers are facing the highest steel and aluminum prices in years, another hurdle for U.S. companies already struggling to make enough cars, cans and other products.

Rapidly increasing metal costs are pushing manufacturers to take what steel they can get and hire more people to seek out available supplies, company executives said. The rising costs are flowing through to some producers of consumer goods: Campbell Soup Co. CPB +1.43% is paying more to get the cans it fills with tomato soup; Peloton Interactive Inc. PTON -2.57% is seeing prices rise for parts that go into its stationary bikes; and Steelcase Inc. SCS +1.20% is paying more to make metal desks and filing cabinets. Car makers like Ford Motor Co. F +2.14% and General Motors Co. are also dealing with rising metal prices. READ MORE