In 1927, R.H. Forney established Forney Engineering Company with the purpose of manufacturing oil and gas burners specifically for electric utilities. During the early 1950s, Forney expanded its focus to include the development of remote burner control and furnace safety systems, which ensured the safe and coordinated delivery of fuel and air to the burners. Pioneering the use of solid-state electronics technology in burner management systems, Forney became the first company to integrate this innovation during the early 1960s.