NOVA Star Garment Plc, established in 2005, is one of those textile companies taking advantage of the act. Located in Gelan area, near the Atlas Resort on the outskirts of Addis Abeba, NOVA Star has been exporting sportswear, and health care and housekeeping uniforms to the US market. 

"Above 99pc of our products are directly shipped to the US market," Mohammed Omer, deputy general manager of the company, told Fortune."Our export earnings in 2008 was 1.1 million dollars, while that of the previous year was 700,000 dollars."

"Ethiopia is one of the few African countries to show such a steady increase in exports," Addis Alemayehu, chief of party of USAID's VEGA Ethiopia AGOA Plus Program said. The Ethiopian government has been providing technical assistance to NOVA and other companies that export to the US market. The assistance ranges from human resource training to granting the companies tax holidays.

"This emanates from the government's commitment to support the export sector," Hailu Abebe, head of Public Relations and Information department with the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI), told Fortune. "The government will continue to provide similar assistance," Hailu said. [Source: www.agoa.info)

General Information of Nova Star Garment Plc

Address:  EAST SHOA, AKAKI WOREDA, DEBERGELAN KEBELE, NEXT TO ATLAS RESORT, ETHIOPIA, 30 KM FROM ADDIS ABABA,

Telephone & Fax #s:  TEL. +251 11 445 02 22 / 24 / 25     FAX +251 11 445 02 23

E-mail address:   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Website:  www.novastargarment.com

Principal contact:  BEKELE L. ERENNA, GENERAL MANAGER

Number of employees: @ 450

Export destinations: AMERCIA, TURKEY, ETC

Garment types currently produced: 

Tops T-Shirts - three main categories

• Plain
• Screen Printed
• Industrial Embroidery

Polo Shirts - three main categories

• Plain
• Screen Printed
• Industrial Embroidery

Bottoms Shorts - three main categories

• Plain
• Screen Printed
• Industrial Embroidery

Pants- three main categories

• Plain
• Screen Printed
• Industrial Embroidery

Uniforms -The products are for different target markets and the main ones are:

• Export market
• Corporate bodies
• Tourists
• Local market

FABRIC TYPE (FROM OTHER COMPANY):  

PIQUE, JERSEY FRENCH TEAR (KNIT ITEMS)

            P/C PLAIN, P/C TWILL, 100% COTTON

            TWILL AND PLAIN (WEAVE ITEM)