Warmkraft Puerto Rico LLC, a division of Perimeter Insect Guard, is planning to invest $16 million to open a facility at the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company’s Guanajibo Industrial Park. The textile manufacturer will be treating military clothing to make it impervious to insects like the mosquitos that transmit dengue, malaria, and Zika. This new investment benefits Puerto Rico’s economy and also demonstrates the Island’s strategic role in defense.
The site Warmkraft will be moving into has been empty for more than 15 years, so the investment will help to reuse and revitalize derelict industrial space.
It is also expected to produce 56 jobs with a combined annual payroll of $3.27 million.
Insects and defense
While insects are often overlooked in relation to strategic national defense, they shouldn’t be. The original builders of the Panama Canal were defeated by mosquitos when 85% of workers were hospitalized with yellow fever and malaria, leading to 22,000 deaths. In World War II, 1.2 million U.S. soldiers were laid low by mosquito-borne diseases, totaling more than the number killed by enemy forces. In fact, a study from the National Library of Medicine estimates that more soldiers have died of malaria throughout human history than from battle.
Dengue was at an epidemic level in Puerto Rico in 2024 and 2025. Zika has been sporadically found in Puerto Rico in recent years, and can cause significant birth defects when women are exposed to the disease during pregnancy. Both Zika and Malaria are prevalent in other regions where U.S. forces may be deployed, including parts of Africa, Asia, and South and Central America.
The Warmkraft method impregnates the fabrics of military uniforms with Permethrin. The method has been used on 25 million uniforms in the past two decades, and is fully approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. With this technology, members of the U.S. armed forces are safer in their national service.
Puerto Rico’s strategic importance underlined
While recent increases in Defense Department investments in Puerto Rico make it clear that Puerto Rico is an important part of U.S. defense strategy, it’s important not to overlook the strategic value of Puerto Rico’s part in healthcare, biosciences, and medicine. As the top exporter of pharmaceuticals in the United States and a central hub for research into medical devices, biosimilars, and other cutting-edge healthcare technologies, Puerto Rico plays a dual part in our national defense.
At the same time, increasing local investment benefits the entire economy of the Island.
