In 1886, Charles Martin Hall in Ohio and Paul Heroult in Paris nearly simultaneously invented the electrolytic method of producing aluminum. As a result of their discovery, the price of aluminum fell dramatically and availability increased tremendously. As aluminum became commercially available, it was used for a myriad of applications. The process of identifying suitable applications and markets often includes an initial stage when a material is used as an imitator of or substitute for other materials. Gradually new materials establish their own identity and association with particular products and ideas.