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US automotive-tech supplier Gentex is opening a manufacturing plant in Morocco to sit closer to its European customers. The company disclosed the project (pdf) in its 2Q 2026 earnings call, saying it has signed a letter of intent, picked a site, and secured Moroccan government support. The facility will produce electrochromic mirrors and advanced electronic modules for vehicles built and sold in Europe, with production slated to begin in 2028.
The driver is supply-chain derisking: COO Neil Boehm said European customers increasingly require suppliers to manufacture in-region as they focus “on derisking their supply base.” Morocco fits the bill for Gentex, with proximity to Europe, an established auto industry, and strong transport links. Boehm doesn’t expect the move to lift operating expenses much, with core technologies still supplied from existing plants.
Exporting in the dark
Adnoc is running its LNG carriers dark again: An empty Adnoc L&S tanker slipped into the Arabian Gulf on Wednesday after crossing the Strait of Hormuz with its transponder switched off, Bloomberg reports. Satellite imagery places the tanker at Adnoc Gas’ Das Island export terminal earlier this week. Three more Adnoc-linked carriers went silent off the UAE’s east coast last Friday, likely queuing to load. Das Island — the UAE’s only LNG export plant, with a capacity of 6 mtpa — has been throttled by disruption. That’s part of what drove a 20% y-o-y drop in Adnoc Gas’ export and traded-liquids volumes in 1Q.
On the crude side of the equation, Adnoc is clearing barrels at a premium. The company sold at least 12 mn barrels of spot crude in its latest tender, Reuters reports. Buyers were predominantly Asian — China’s Unipec, PetroChina, and Sinochem each lined up significant buys for September and October delivery, while Indian and Japanese buyers also showed up.
Meanwhile, Qatar is plugging its own gaps with American gas. QatarEnergy has bought 33 spot US LNG cargoes this year for delivery to South Korea, Taiwan, Bangladesh, India, and Japan, Reuters reports. The purchases are meant to keep key customers supplied after the company extended its force majeure earlier this week.
