Cliff's Notes

Episode 204: Matthew Keske of Vermeer Corporation

Cliff sits down with Matt Keske, commodity manager for Wear Tools at Vermeer Corporation — one of the most diversified heavy equipment manufacturers in the world — to talk tungsten, supply chain strategy, and what 30 years inside a company that's a mile long actually looks like. Matt breaks down how AI infrastructure and data center build-outs are quietly driving underground drilling demand, why strategic partnerships matter more than spot pricing when metals markets get chaotic, and what it means to be a wear tools buyer navigating today's commodity headwinds. Plus: the tornado that leveled a steel building and left only concrete — and how that rebuilt Plant 7 is now one of the best in Pella. Hosted by Cliff Nance of Tungco — where hard work meets honest talk about leadership, innovation, and what it takes to build something that lasts.

Episode 203: Ashley Hunsaker of HTS Coatings

Cliff sits down with Ashley Hunsaker, co-founder and CEO of HTS Coatings, for one of the most candid conversations about building a business from scratch — eight months pregnant, living in an 800-square-foot house, and saying yes when everyone else was saying no. Ashley breaks down what thermal spray coatings actually do (hint: they're inside the landing gear on the plane you flew here on), how HTS developed a proprietary chrome alternative with near-zero porosity, and why the tungsten price environment is forcing the whole industry to ask hard questions. A family business story that's equal parts grit, strategy, and a husband who briefly said 'I quit' at exactly the wrong moment.  Hosted by Cliff Nance of Tungco — where hard work meets honest talk about leadership, innovation, and what it takes to build something that lasts.

Episode 202: Chris Capps of Tungco Procurement

Cliff sits down with one of Tungco's own — procurement specialist Chris Capps — to talk tungsten markets, trust in volatile times, and what 16-plus years inside a carbide recycling operation actually teaches you. From sorting bits to strategic buying, Chris breaks down why the current tungsten pricing environment is unlike anything the industry has ever seen, and why trust might be the most valuable commodity of all. Plus: boats, baby milestones, and a Rolex with a story behind it. Hosted by Cliff Nance of Tungco — where hard work meets honest talk about leadership, innovation, and what it takes to build something that lasts.

Episode 201: Austin Hargett of weld.com

Cliff sits down with Austin Hargett of weld.com to swap stories, talk high-pressure pipe welding for power plants and refineries, and revisit a legendary night on the Sunset Strip that ended at Whisky a Go Go. Austin breaks down what makes weld.com a go-to resource for welders working in the most demanding industrial environments. Equal parts industry insight and "great friend hands you the last drink" energy. #CliffsNotes #Welding #weldDOTcom #AustinHargett #CONEXPO #IndustrialPodcast #SunsetStripSettings: * Episode number: 201 * Season: 2 * Episode type: Full  * Explicit: Yes - discusses alcohol * Cover art: Custom episode artwork, or it'll inherit the show's default * Category/tags: Business, Careers, or Industry (matches show's primary category) Hosted by Cliff Nance of Tungco — where hard work meets honest talk about leadership, innovation, and what it takes to build something that lasts.

Project 74 Announcement Cliff's Notes — Special Edition | Recorded Live at ReMA 2026, Las Vegas

Recorded live on the floor at ReMA 2026 in Las Vegas, this special edition of Cliff's Notes officially announces Project 74 — Tungco's Urban Mining Initiative and a landmark partnership with Victor Fox of the Chem-Met Company and Furkhat Faizulla of Syram Corporation, built on one powerful premise: converting domestic tungsten scrap into sodium tungstate, the critical intermediate chemical that nearly 100% of all tungsten products must pass through before becoming a finished part, and keeping those strategic units inside the United States. Cliff, Victor, and Furkhat break down why tungsten has surged 5x in price over the last eight months, how China's export restrictions and zero domestic primary production have created a historic supply squeeze, where tungsten shows up across tool steels, defense, AI chip manufacturing, drone components, and TSA security equipment, and why Project 74's reshoring mission — expanding U.S. processing capacity for scrap that would otherwise leave the country — is exactly what the American industrial base needs right now. Learn more about Tungco at www.tungco.com [http://www.tungco.com]. Learn about Project 74 at www.project74.com [https://www.project74.com] Hosted by Cliff Nance of Tungco — where hard work meets honest talk about leadership, innovation, and what it takes to build something that lasts.