Grand opening held for Aleris Corp. aluminum rolling mill in Hancock County, Ky.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Kentucky aluminum plant is open for business, with more space and more manufacturing capabilities.

Thursday was the grand opening of the $400 million expansion of the Aleris Corporation aluminum rolling mill in Hancock County, Kentucky. It can now make aluminum body sheets for the auto industry.

Governor Matt Bevin says the expansion will ensure the ongoing employment for nearly 1,000 Kentuckians and will help the state attract investments.

The project took under three years to complete.

"Without this new opportunity and new vision, this plant -- it would have been really tough for this plant to continue," said Mike Keown, senior vice president of Aleris Corporation and president of the company's North America division.

"This expansion -- and I'll call it the revolution in automotive -- has really revived and breathed new life into this plant," he added.

Aleris Corporation is a global leader in aluminum rolled products. It is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.