NTDA Deeply Saddened by death of Malvern Tyres Group Managing Director and Chairman
The NTDA team at Aylesbury is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of leading UK tyre industry figure Rob Freeman, who died on Thursday 29th April after a short illness.
Although more recently Rob had taken a step back from a lot of the day-to-day duties of running the group, he was still very committed and an integral part of the organisation which he built with his courage, determination and hard work.
Rob was a highly altruistic man with a genuine passion for the local community in his beloved Gloucester. He was the Vice Patron of the Pied Piper Appeal, the leading children’s charity in Gloucestershire, an avid supporter of Gloucester Rugby, where Malvern Tyres has had the naming rights to the South Stand at Kingsholm Stadium since 2018, and was appointed a director of Gloucester City AFC in November 2019.
Malvern Tyres Group, which includes well-known companies such as County Tyres, Malvern Tyres, BITS Ltd, King David Tyres in Wales and Treadwell Tyres Ltd in the Republic of Ireland, has been an active member of the Association for many years and according to NTDA Chief Executive Stefan Hay: “Rob was a great character and never shy when it came to keeping me on my toes. He was incredibly well informed and enthusiastic about the tyre trade and over the years I’ve had some very enlightening discussions with him both about the trade and rugby, although he was never happy that I had coached the juniors at Worcester RFC the biggest local rival to the Cherry and Whites! Like so many of the big characters the trade has already lost this year, Rob will certainly be missed and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are now with his family, many friends and grieving colleagues.”
In 2019 Rob was also named in the top 50 leading entrepreneurs in Gloucestershire and there can be no doubt that his loss will also be felt by the wider business community and many charities and other organisations he supported.
