Record low interest rates are impacting corporate borrowers in a number of ways.

For one thing, they no longer are relying heavily on the commercial paper market, traditionally the main source for short-term funding.

According to the Federal Reserve's weekly data, the US commercial paper market has shrunk for the fourth straight week.

The size of the market fell by $22.9 billion in the week ending Wednesday after dropping 5.6 billion the prior week.

Meanwhile, in the past two weeks alone, more than $50 billion in corporate bonds have been sold, according to Dow Jones.

The bulk of the proceeds from this issuance has been used to retire older, more expensive debt or for the ubiquitous "general corporate purposes."

However, in a few cases, companies have cited more specific intended uses.

For example, Hertz Global Holdings said it plans to offer $300 million of senior notes due 2018 in a private placement.

The car rental giant said it plans to use the proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, adding it may include repayment of debt or funding a portion of the cash consideration for its planned acquisition of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group.

The most intriguing and tantalizing disclosure, however, goes to B/E Aerospace.

The maker of aircraft cabin interior products and distributor of aerospace fasteners and consumables said earlier this week it priced an offering of $650 million of 6.875 percent senior notes due 2020. The size of the offering was increased from the previously announced $500 million.

Here's the interesting part.

The company said it plans to use the net proceeds to fund acquisitions of businesses operating within, or complementary to, its commercial aircraft and consumables management segments.

In a press release, the company said it is "currently exploring or participating in discussions with third parties regarding a number of possible acquisitions." However, it stressed it presently has no definitive agreements related to any acquisitions.

That's a little more information than is typically offered in what is usually a boiler-plate paragraph.