In the industrial corridors of Humacao, a facility that had stood as a silent monument to corporate retreat for half a decade is breathing again. The 135,500-square-foot complex on PR-909, which fell dormant in 2019 following the closure of Novartis, has been officially reclaimed by Onovexa, a Puerto Rican manufacturer stepping into the void with a $36.2 million investment.
The inauguration marks more than just the opening of a new factory; it represents a strategic bet on local ownership and the diversification of the island’s manufacturing sector. Onovexa, a subsidiary of Olein—the established producer behind the Brava lubricant line and Sacató cleaners—is pivoting toward a specialized niche in absorbent solutions. The company plans to enter the market this summer with a product line featuring incontinence pads, wet wipes and absorbent solutions specifically designed for the veterinary sector.
For Jorge “Tato” González Camp, the founder of Onovexa, the project is as much about national contribution as We see about commercial growth. Speaking at the inauguration, González Camp expressed a vision of aggressive scaling, aiming to transform the site into the largest distribution plant in Puerto Rico. While the company currently exports roughly 500 containers annually, the goal for the Humacao facility is to quintuple that output to 2,500 containers.
Reviving the ‘Grey City’ Industrial Base
The acquisition of the property, which spans nearly 13 cuerdas (approximately 12 acres), was a calculated move to rescue existing infrastructure. Purchased from 909 MB Humacao LLC, the facility was delivered in operational condition, allowing Onovexa to bypass some of the longer lead times associated with ground-up construction. The site is fully equipped with production areas, laboratories, storage, and emergency power and water infrastructure.
The human impact of the reopening is immediate. Onovexa currently employs 15 people, including several former Novartis employees who are returning to the site where they once worked. The company is currently in an active hiring phase, with a target of 50 employees by the end of the year and a long-term projection of 203 direct jobs once the plant reaches full operational capacity.
The financial architecture of the project reflects a heavy emphasis on technical modernization. The $36.2 million total investment is distributed across property acquisition, facility upgrades, and a significant outlay for advanced machinery.
| Investment Category | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Equipment & Specialized Machinery | $23.3 Million |
| Machinery Acquisition | $5.9 Million |
| Property Acquisition | $5.5 Million |
| Facility Improvements | $1.5 Million |
| Total Investment | $36.2 Million |
Strategic Incentives and Export Ambitions
The project was bolstered by over $9 million in incentives from the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC). According to DDEC Secretary Sebastián Negrón Reichard, these funds were specifically allocated to support the acquisition of machinery and the creation of high-skilled jobs. This move aligns with a broader government effort to increase Puerto Rico’s export volume, which saw a nearly 3% increase over the previous year, reaching $63 billion.
The production targets are ambitious: Onovexa intends to produce up to 20 million units of wet wipes and 50 million absorbent products. From a revenue standpoint, the company projects a growth trajectory reaching $39 million for the 2026 fiscal year. While the immediate focus is the domestic and regional market, the company has set its sights on expanding its footprint into the broader United States and Latin American markets by 2029.
A Regional Trend of Industrial Reactivation
Onovexa is not an isolated case. Its opening is part of a concentrated wave of industrial activity in Puerto Rico’s eastern region, where several dormant or expanding plants are signaling a recovery in manufacturing.
Recent milestones in the region include:
- Stryker Puerto Rico: Opened a medical device plant in Humacao in February 2025 with a $16.55 million investment.
- Millicent Manufacturing: The Irish pharmaceutical firm established a strategic American headquarters in Fajardo with a $45.5 million investment.
- Amgen: Announced a massive investment nearing $1 billion for its Juncos operations.
- PharmaEssentia: Formally invested $46 million to establish a base in Toa Baja, marking the first Taiwanese bio-pharmaceutical presence on the island.
According to the Annual Report from Invest Puerto Rico (InvestPR), the island attracted 504 new businesses and $476 million in capital investment commitments during the 2025 fiscal year. This surge is further supported by upcoming visits from Japanese and South Korean firms seeking investment opportunities this summer.
Disclaimer: This report contains financial projections and investment figures provided by Onovexa and the DDEC; actual fiscal outcomes may vary based on market conditions.
The next critical milestone for Onovexa will be the official market launch of its product lines this summer, which will serve as the first real-world test of the plant’s production capacity and distribution efficiency.
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