Founder of Stamford Tyres Wee Kok Wah, 78, dies from cancer

Mr Wee Kok Wah, founder of publicly-listed company Stamford Tyres, died on Oct 21 after battling stomach cancer. He was 78.

After joining his father’s company in 1970, Mr Wee secured distribution rights for Japanese and German tyre brands, and grew the petrol station and tyre shop business into one of the largest tyre and wheel distributors in the region.

Besides representing various brands, Mr Wee started a wheel-making factory in Thailand and created Stamford’s own brand of alloy wheels and tyres, which are sold globally.

In Singapore, he set up a network of motor workshops and tyre outlets.

Stamford Tyre’s network now spans more than 90 countries, with distribution centres in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and South Africa, among others.

“Anyone in the business knows Stamford Tyres globally,” said tyre industry veteran Ler Hwee Tiong, director at Point S, a global network of automotive maintenance and tyre workshops.

“He was a charismatic leader, groomed multiple personalities in the tyre business, including myself.”

Mr Ler, who has been in the tyre business in Singapore and the region for 29 years, said Mr Wee was generous and loved “living the business”.

“I imagine he would have lived the same life if he has to do it again. I will miss him,” he added.

Mr Wee’s father, Mr Wee Boon Kwee, had started Stamford Motor Service as a petrol station and tyre shop business at Stamford Road in the 1930s.

Mr Wee joined the business after graduating from the University of Singapore, now known as NUS.

By 1976, the company was distributing tyre brands including Falken from Japan and Continental from Germany, which continue to work with Stamford Tyres nearly 50 years later.

In 1991, Mr Wee took the company public on the now defunct second board of the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX), and built up the business in Malaysia.

He also started operations in South Africa and Indonesia.

In April 2003, Stamford Tyres was upgraded to the SGX mainboard.

As managing director and president, Mr Wee led the company through the Asian financial crisis in 1997, and a fire that broke out that year, destroying the company’s main building in Tuas, its equipment and stock.

In 1998, the company posted a net earning of $3.4 million, from a reported loss of $5.6 million in 1997.

In an interview given to The Business Times in 1999, Mr Wee said that the company had to close some of its overseas offices to cope with the downturn and the challenges.

Due to poor health, Mr Wee stepped down as managing director in November 2021, taking on the role of founder and senior advisor.

In its 2024 financial year, the company generated a net profit after tax of $6 million, up from $4.2 million in the previous year.

Mr Boon Tian Say, who runs the tyre shop TS Auto in Sembawang that has been working with Stamford Tyres for 50 years, said Mr Wee was always creative in coming up with promotions to help dealers sell more tyres, which was not the practice in the business.

Mr Wee’s personal approach with dealers left a strong impression on Mr Tay Ai Meng, owner of L S Tyres & Automotive, who noted how he even hosted dealers at his home. Both their companies have had dealings since the 1960s.

Mr Conson Sia, Stamford Tyres’ chief executive who joined the company in 1993, said: “Mr Wee believes in the ‘cradle to grave’ concept for service to our customers. Anyone can sell a product, but the differentiator is the company backing it and the service we provide.”

He added that Mr Wee’s passion for the business never waned, even after he stepped down from the management board to be the senior advisor. “He always tells me to charge forward to grow Stamford Tyres.”

Mr Wee leaves behind his wife, Mrs Dawn Wee, daughters Li Ann and Li Lin, and son Jin Yi.