Bailey is the managing director of Col-Tec Solutions, based in New Milton, Hampshire and has spent his entire career in the industry, beginning as a letterpress apprentice in 1953.

With a talent for coming up with clever ideas and for “keeping an ear and an eye on what the print market needs” he started making collators in his garage in 1975. This became the origins of the business that would become Setmaster.

After many years at that company Bailey and his son Paul went on to found Col-Tec Solutions in the year 2000.

The 20-strong firm designs and makes a range of specialist collating systems including bespoke configurations for highly-specific applications, such as smart point-of-sale collation and credit card assembly.

Col-Tec is also a successful exporter and appointed a new agent in America in 2023.

Bailey’s wife of 59 years Gwen helped the business establish itself in overseas markets in its formative years thanks to her fluency in French and Spanish.

Bailey told Printweek that when he received the notification of his MBE he initially thought it was some sort of phishing exercise.

“I threw it in the bin. I thought ‘these scammers are getting very good’, because it looked so genuine, it was on the proper paper. But I thought this can’t be for me.

“The following morning I spoke to my son Paul, and of course he let the cat out of the bag. So I retrieved the invitation from the bin.”

His MBE has been awarded for services to the print industry and allied trades, with a future date at Buckingham Palace for the investiture ceremony to be decided in due course.

Bailey, who will be 87 this year, said that although he had effectively handed over the reins to Paul 25 years ago, he had no plans to retire.

“I’m going to retire when I drop off the perch!” he quipped.

Col-Tec Solutions was the subject of a Printweek Best of British feature in 2019.

HM King Charles III’s New Year Honours list 2025 features more than 1,200 recipients.

Those with a connection to the printing industry included graphic designer Neville Brody, now Professor Neville Brody at the Royal College of Art, who received an OBE for services to design.

Nicola Beauman, the founder of Persephone Books, received an OBE for services to publishing; while literary agent and chair of the Hay Festival Caroline Michel was awarded a DBE.

Artist, colourist and master printmaker Barbara Davis Rae CBE became a dame commander for services to art.

Hereford College of Arts principal Miranda Appleton was made an MBE.