When you’ve been in the tungsten industry as long as Cliff Nance has, you start to recognize the people who truly make a difference. And when someone walks into the room saying “easy,” Cliff knows exactly who it is: Ran, the mastermind behind Metal Tech and one of the greatest relationship builders in the industry.
In this episode of Cliff’s Notes, Cliff sits down with his long-time mentor and partner to explore a philosophy that sounds simple but transforms how business gets done. It’s not about avoiding problems. It’s about facing them with clarity, trust, and a commitment to solving them together.
The “Easy” Philosophy
Ran’s mantra is deceptively simple: “easy.” But as he explains, it’s not about ignoring difficulties. It’s about perspective. When pressure or problems arise, Ran counts to ten and asks one critical question: “What are the good things we can do from this?”
“To look on the bad things, no benefit to no one,” Ran shares.
For those who don’t understand “easy,” Ran calls it “slowly, slowly, slowly. No need to run now.” It’s a philosophy rooted in his own personality, but over decades in the metal recycling industry, it’s proven to be the most effective way to navigate challenges. Because here’s the truth: most problems are solvable. In a lifetime, you won’t face many that can’t be solved—especially when you solve them together.
The Foundation: Trust and Your Word
The conversation reveals what Ran has learned over more than three decades building Metal Tech (founded in 1991). Trust isn’t just nice to have in business. It’s everything. When your reputation is on the line, when you’ve built relationships with companies like Ashot Ashkelon and Iskar (now part of Berkshire Hathaway), your word becomes your greatest asset.
“We have a good name, we can trust one each other,” Ran emphasizes. “So also if there is a big problem, we can make a phone call and to say we have a problem. Not to give a bullshit or story or to tell.”
This approach works because everyone knows that when Metal Tech calls with a problem, they’re telling you the truth. There’s no spinning it. No hiding behind emails or contracts. Just a straightforward conversation between people who trust each other.
Consistency Wins the Long Game
Metal Tech’s specialty is tungsten metal powder and tungsten carbide powder—materials so critical that even tiny variations matter. Ran explains how shrinkage rates (typically around 18%) must be consistent down to the decimal. When you’re manufacturing cutting tools or aerospace components, even a variance from 18% to 22% can ruin an entire production run and require expensive die changes.
That’s why consistency isn’t a nice-to-have at Metal Tech. It’s non-negotiable. It’s why they use the same raw material sources. It’s why they invest in extensive quality control. And it’s why customers like Iskar, Baker Hughes, and American carbide manufacturers have worked with them for 25+ years—and won’t change, regardless of price fluctuations.
“If you get consistency, they will continue to work with you,” Ran says simply.
Service That Goes the Extra Mile
Here’s where the “Whatever It Takes” philosophy comes to life. Cliff mentions that Tungco’s customers sometimes face emergencies—a production line down, an urgent need, a crisis. Metal Tech’s answer? They ship by air. From Israel to the United States. Because there are roughly 22 flights per day between the two countries, and if you truly want to serve your customer, you find a way.
“If you want to give service, you can give service. It only depends if you really want to do it,” Ran explains.
The key moment comes when a customer has a problem. The response isn’t to debate the contract or assess blame. It’s to solve it first. Then, over coffee or bourbon (depending on the severity), you figure out how to split the cost and move forward together. The contract is for the drawings—not for playing gotcha.
Building Your Network Like Ran Did
Ran shares a brilliant example of how he built Metal Tech’s American scrap collection network: he identified partners like Art Fox, a trusted middleman, and trusted them completely. Art Fox would handle customer relationships, collect scrap, validate quality, and ship containers to Israel. Art Fox wasn’t hired. He was partnered with.
This is what Ran calls finding “friends” in business—true partners who share your values and can be trusted completely. When you have those people, you don’t need to hire an army of employees to do service calls. You build a network of trusted relationships.
A Mentor’s Reflection on Legacy
As the conversation wraps, Cliff shares profound respect for Ran, calling him a mentor and “the tungsten guru.” He reflects on Ran’s life philosophy—that problems aren’t impossible, they can be solved, and that leading with trust and love makes all the difference.
In response, Ran offers a powerful observation about Cliff himself: “It’s not easy in our industry that someone take a business of his father and continues that and grow it.” He recognizes how Cliff has empowered his team and created an environment where collective power drives success.
“Our power is the team,” Ran says. “And you give it to your team, and then the benefit. This is why Tungco succeed and together we are number one.”
The Real Takeaway
Episode 102 of Cliff’s Notes isn’t really about tungsten, though tungsten runs through every story. It’s about how relationships win over transactions. How trust built over decades becomes your greatest competitive advantage. How saying “easy” and meaning it—really meaning it—changes everything.
In an industry where people could hide behind emails and contracts, Tungco and Metal Tech do the opposite. They pick up the phone. They show up. They solve problems first and figure out the money later. They build relationships that last 25+ years because they’ve earned trust through consistency, honesty, and genuine care for their partners’ success.
That’s not just good business. That’s a legacy worth building.
Watch Cliff’s Notes Episode 102 to hear the full conversation with Ran, and discover why one simple word—”easy”—means everything in the tungsten world.
Tungco: We don’t just process tungsten. We reclaim it, refine it, and give it a second life. Because relationships matter. Your word matters. And doing things the right way, not the easy way, is what builds an industry we’re proud to be part of.
Find Cliff’s Notes on all streaming platforms where you listen to podcasts.
