Matt Garbarino in FAB Shop Magazine: Leading Through a Demanding Market

WAUKESHA, WI; MAY 2026 - SafanDarley North America president Matt Garbarino is featured in the May 2026 issue of FAB Shop Magazine, in a wide-ranging Industry Insights conversation with marketing communications consultant Robert Farrell. The interview examines what it takes to lead a fabrication business through today's market pressures - labor shortages, rising costs, and the pace of technological change - and why building leadership, accountability, and service culture from within is central to how SafanDarley intends to grow.

Three decades on the shop floor

Garbarino brings more than 30 years in metal fabrication to the role, including more than 22 years at Cincinnati Inc. That experience shapes a clear conviction: equipment decisions are operational decisions, and every machine has to justify its place on the floor. In the interview, he discusses how that perspective informs SafanDarley's approach to long-term customer partnerships - from first conversation through installation, training, and ongoing support.
"When you've been on as many shop floors as I have, you get a clear understanding of what's at stake. Jobs are hard-earned and every machine has to justify its place on the floor."

Leadership as a learnable skill

A central theme of the conversation is leadership development inside SafanDarley North America. Garbarino has introduced monthly leadership training with Echelon Front, the Navy SEAL-founded leadership organization, and is building a culture grounded in extreme ownership, mentorship, and clear accountability. The company also partners with a local technical college to give students hands-on exposure before they enter the workforce.
"Leadership is a learnable skill. It isn't dependent on a title - it's about creating an environment of trust where people feel safe to be the best they can be."

Service as a leadership commitment

The conversation also covers how SafanDarley's distributor network - anchored by Capital Machine Technologies and Gladwin Machinery & Supply - covers 85 percent of the United States with 100 regionally-based service technicians. Garbarino discusses standardizing service procedures, expanding preventive maintenance and priority response programs, and the ongoing distributor service training delivered at the company's Waukesha, Wisconsin facility.

Industry concerns and the road ahead

The full Q&A covers what's pressuring fabricators today - machine uptime, the skilled labor shortage, material cost volatility, and how to approach automation in measurable, manageable steps - alongside the resilience Garbarino sees in the industry as it continues to adapt.