By Patrick Avenell

The buying group behind Betta Electrical, BSR Group, has released a statement this afternoon talking up the company’s overall performance during 2008. Although acknowledging that it had been a difficult year, BSR Group general manager Ian Brown is in a positive mood in the lead up to Christmas and the new year.

“Our company’s position has remained consistent this year in the face of challenging circumstances and that’s a result the Board and management team is understandably proud of and will continue to protect,” said Brown.

Brown continued to say that BSR’s two main goals for 2008, maintaining stability and strengthening the balance sheet, had been achieved.

“We’ve achieved this and now have an excellent platform from which we can expand the business and reinvest in infrastructure and the services that we provide back to our retailers.”

In addition to this, Brown also outlined five key factors in declaring 2008 a qualified success. These were key supplier partnerships, new retailers opening, no debt , the launch of the Home Living furniture brand and the acquisition of Mr Rental.

On these last two, Brown said, “This has ensured our members can offer nearly every home living requirement of a customer.

“The ‘Betta Home Living’ programme has given both existing members and potential furniture retailers another very good reason to belong to our brand.”