Alcoa broke ground today on a $275-million dollar expansion project.

Company and state leaders, including Governor Bill Haslam and Senator Lamar Alexander, attended Thursday's ceremony.

The expansion will allow Alcoa to make aluminum for cars. The company says more automakers are using aluminum to improve the safety, fuel efficiency, durability and performance of cars and trucks.

Haslam says it's proof of a growing industry here in Tennessee.

"They're doing this in an automotive function. Tennessee's become the number one automotive manufacturing] state in the country. When that happens, it's not just the manufacturers that create jobs, it's all the suppliers. Again, 200 new jobs in a place like Alcoa that's been around for 100 years is an important day in Tennessee," said Gov. Haslam.

In addition to expanding facilities to accommodate automotive sheet production, the project will also involve converting some of the mill's current sheet capacity.