BE Group publishes Annual Report for 2008

BE Group publishes Annual Report for 2008 

Press release				

April 9, 2009


Today, BE Group's Annual Report for 2008 is published on the company website
www.begroup.com. In the Message from the CEO, new President and CEO Lars
Bergström comments on a number of important steps taken during 2008:
- The acquisitions of Czechprofil and Ferram Steel have strengthened BE Group's
presence in the Czech Republic, where it is now the fourth-largest company in
the distribution market. The acquisitions have been successfully integrated,
thus setting the stage for more efficient operations in Business Area CEE.

- BE Group has continued increasing the service component of total sales from 31
percent to 33 percent. Due to the higher margins of service sales, this made a
positive contribution to profit for the year.

Lars Bergström notes that 2008 ended with a sharp downturn for the whole market.

- On the bright side, 2008 as a whole became one of the best years ever for BE
Group and consolidated operating profit rose compared to 2007. Nevertheless, the
full year figures obscure the dramatic change in the latter part of the year,
when a sustained upturn in the first half suddenly reversed into a steep decline
in all markets as the global economy put on the brakes. 

In a nutshell, BE Group's strategy states that the company will use a larger and
increasingly sophisticated service proposition to develop the business and
achieve growth through acquisitions. This strategy remains firm.

- As the new president and CEO of BE Group, effective March 2009, I would like
to emphasize that the strategy is strongly supported by the shareholders and
will continue to govern operations in future. I would also like to say that I am
looking forward with pleasure to leading BE Group, even as I am humbled at the
prospect of the vast expertise and professionalism of the Group, the foundation
of our success in the market now and in the future.

The printed version of the Annual Report can be ordered at www.begroup.com.


If you have any questions, please contact:

Lars Bergström, President and CEO:
tel. +46 (0) 40 38 42 00
e-mail: lars.bergstrom@begroup.com


Torbjörn Clementz, CFO and deputy CEO:
tel: +46 (0) 70 869 07 88, 
e-mail: torbjorn.clementz@begroup.com


BE Group AB (publ), listed on the NASDAQ OMX Stockholm since November 2006, is
one of the leading trading and service companies within steel and other metals
in Europe. The company has about 10,000 customers, primarily within the
construction and engineering industries. BE Group provides service in the steel,
stainless steel and aluminium sectors. The company's sales in 2008 were SEK 7.7
billion. BE Group has about 1,000 employees in nine countries in northern
Europe, where Sweden and Finland are its largest markets. The head office is in
Malmö, Sweden. For more information, you are invited to visit us online at
www.begroup.com.