After years of research and planning, Forney Industries in Fort Collins, CO has announced the launch of its expanded line of welding, metalworking and auto-darkening helmets. The helmets provide state-of-the-art protection and comfort with custom designs. Replacing the old styles, the upgraded line offers customers a variety of styles that meet the needs for every level of welding.

“Our customers and their needs have significantly evolved over the last decade,” said Todd Romero, Senior Product Line Manager for Forney Industries, “Not everyone has the same requirements when it comes to welding so we went to great lengths to engineer, design and manufacture a line that accommodates every need from the novice DIY welder to the expert industrial welder. In addition, we needed to manufacture a helmet that met our stringent standards for quality.”

According to Romero, Forney Industries went above and beyond to ensure the company designed the best welding helmets that meet an array of needs. “We’ve sought input from welding engineers, our customers and industry experts then added our expertise in the product to engineer top-of-the-line welding helmets that weren’t currently available on the market,” added Romero. The helmets are not only designed for protection, comfort and performance, but the aesthetics are equally as important. “Although our customers want and deserve a helmet that offers the best visibility and protection, they also want one with great design. When you see what we are bringing to the market you can see why they are so well received.”

According to Danny Lawler, Store Manager of Harrison Supply Inc. in Devine, Texas, “Since carrying the new line of Forney helmets, we have seen a 25% increase in our business. The variety of the helmets combined with the Forney quality, have proven to be successful; we are nothing but pleased with the results.” The auto-darkening feature has been a key selling point for Lawler. “Our customers have such diverse needs now that more people are welding,” he added. “Whether it’s a do-it-yourselfer or an industrial professional, the Forney helmets are moving off our shelves faster than we expected and we know it’s due to the look and the auto-darkening feature.” In addition, Lawler carries all of the Forney replacement parts for the welding line and the helmet line is no different. “Forney is known for their customer service and they help to maintain a strong inventory so our customers only need to make one stop.”

In order to accommodate every level, Forney Industries designed three helmet varieties per level of knowledge and skill:

The Forney Premier Series™ auto-darkening welding helmets are user friendly, comfortable, lightweight and functional. They are economical for a wide range of basic needs and ideal for the hobbyist, DIY and beginner welder.

The Forney Advantage Series™ auto-darkening welding helmets are user friendly, comfortable and lightweight. They have increased functionality, which enables longer performance when compared to basic welding helmets. They are also economical for a wide range of intermediary user needs. This series of welding helmets is perfect for intermediate to advanced welders.

The Forney Master Series™ auto-darkening welding helmets are the optimal helmets for professional welders. These versatile, highly functional and comfortable welding helmets are designed to meet the needs of performance driven professionals. Whether welding, grinding or cutting materials, this series can offer protection for all needs.

(Available designs for all series include Black Matte, Camouflage, Edge and Patriot.)

Known for more than 80 years as one of the nation’s top supplier of metalworking tools, including welders and welding-related products, Forney Industries is rounding out its offerings by bringing these top of the line welding helmets to the market. “It’s certainly the most important piece of equipment that our customer can purchase,” said Steve Anderson, President and CEO of Forney Industries. “In addition to the advanced protection the new helmets offer for the eyes, the level of comfort and reliability is what we were striving for. We didn’t want to bring this line to the market until it was up to our standards. Our clients deserve nothing but the best when they purchase a product from us.”

Forney Industries is one of America’s oldest family-owned, welding and metalworking product companies. Founded in 1932, the company began with the invention of the instant heat soldering iron and introduced the first publicly available arc welder in the mid-1930s. Today, the company offers more than 5,000 products serving the automotive, hardware, farm & ranch, industrial and do-it-yourself markets. Headquartered in Fort Collins, CO, Forney Industries delivers products to all 50 states through its extensive customer-service network. Forney Industries is committed to providing the best product mix and most personal support services available today.