Panther's sales have increased from $58 million in 2001 to $157 million last year, and the number of its customer accounts has grown about 10 percent annually since 2002.

Panther Expedited Services Inc., formerly known as Panther II Transportation of Seville, OH plans to go public.

In a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said it plans to sell up to $250 million in common stock.

Panther did not provide details on the number of shares to be sold or the anticipated offering price. The shares are expected to be listed on the Nasdaq stock market under the symbol PTHR.

With its network of more than 1,300 vehicles, ranging in size from cargo vans to tractor-trailers – all provided by independent owner operators – Panther provides expedited freight service on a time-critical basis to and from customer locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Last year, the company provided service to more than 5,800 customers totaling more than 177,000 shipments. The company focuses on the estimated $3.4 billion domestic market for expedited freight.

In its filing, the company cited a study estimating that this domestic market for expedited freight has been growing at an average rate of 12 percent annually for the last four years.

Panther’s sales have increased from $58 million in 2001 to $157 million last year, and the number of its customer accounts has grown about 10 percent annually since 2002. The company’s revenues were nearly $38 million in the 2006 first quarter, up 19 percent from about $32 million a year earlier.

The company is headed by Daniel Sokolowski, chief executive officer and has a work force 257 full-time employees as of March, 2006.

Proceeds from the stock sale will be used to redeem preferred stock and repay outstanding debt. The company will not receive any proceeds from the sale of common stock from selling stockholders.

Panther is owned by Fenway Partners of New York, whose investments include class ring maker American Achievement Corp., sports helmet maker Easton-Bell Sports Inc., mattress maker Simmons Co. and jeweler Harry Winston.