Medio Systems deal with mInfo to be announced

Seattle-based Medio Systems, which is developing a mobile search and advertising platform, plans to announce today it is forming a partnership with Shanghai's mInfo.

Under the agreement, Medio and mInfo will develop a mobile search, advertising and content-delivery platform for the Chinese market.

Today, in the U.S., Medio delivers search and advertising products to Verizon Wireless and Bellevue-based T-Mobile USA.

MInfo's search services are available through Chinese carriers, including China Mobile, China Unicom, China Netcom and China Telecom.

Boeing

737s being inspected in South Africa

Boeing's 737-200 aircraft in South Africa were grounded for inspections after an engine fell off an airplane belonging to Nationwide Airlines, the country's aviation authority said.

The planes have engines made by Pratt & Whitney, the nation's Civil Aviation Authority said on its Web site.

An engine fell off the plane Wednesday during takeoff in Cape Town. The plane returned to the airport safely

Full inspections will take place today, the authority said. There are about 30 737s in South Africa.

The directive also affects Boeing's DC9 series of planes.

Hershey

Candy maker's woes not so sweet for 8

The trust that has a controlling stake in chocolate maker Hershey forced a sweeping overhaul of the company's board Sunday amid dismay over Hershey's recent results.

The Hershey Trust, which controls about 78 percent of Hershey's voting shares, asked six of the company's 11 directors to resign. Two others quit.

The maker of Hershey Kisses and Reese's Pieces has struggled in the past two years with rising costs and tough competition from M&Ms maker Masterfoods. Last month, Hershey posted a 66 percent drop in quarterly profit.

The trust "has made clear it has not been satisfied with recent results," trust Chairman LeRoy Zimmerman said in a statement.

Chief Executive Richard Lenny left weeks ago.

Hershey said Kenneth Wolfe would serve as non-executive chairman, effective Jan. 1. Wolfe served for eight years as chairman and CEO of Hershey, retiring in 2001.

Chief Financial Officer David West will become CEO.

Ford Motor

Big UAW locals back new contract

Two large UAW locals, in Louisville, Ky., and Wayne, Mich., approved a tentative four-year labor contract with Ford Motor by an overwhelming majority, officials reported Sunday night, lending momentum toward a swift ratification.

And at Ford's axle plant in Sterling Heights, Mich., 91 percent of workers who voted accepted the contract, local President Jeff Terry said.

In all, locals representing more than 17,000 of 54,000 rank-and-file workers at several large Ford factories, including the one near Kansas City, Mo., cast their ballots Sunday.

Several other large chapters, such as UAW Local 600 in Dearborn, Mich., and Local 2000 of Ohio, are set to vote today, and companywide results might be available as early as tonight.

The tentative contract, similar to landmark pacts ratified by workers at General Motors and Chrysler, protects Ford factories not already slated for closure from being shuttered during the four-year deal, according to a UAW summary.

In return, the union agreed to many cost-saving measures, including a union-run trust to manage retired members' health care and the right to pay a lower wage to new hires, limited to 20 percent of the work force.

Walt Disney Co.

Japan targeted for phone service

Walt Disney Co. said today it plans to enter the Japanese cellphone market early next year using local carrier Softbank's network.

Disney, which plans to halt its U.S.-based mobile-phone service at the end of the year, is betting on the popularity of its Tokyo resort to help it gain share in the world's biggest market of third-generation phones.

Disney would use Softbank for its mobile service and sell its phones at Softbank's 2,464 stores in Japan.

Private equity

Oak Hill buying aerospace supplier

Private equity firm Oak Hill Capital Partners said Sunday it would buy Firth Rixson, a maker of specialized metal products primarily to aerospace-engine makers, in a deal valued at about $2 billion.

Oak Hill will buy Firth Rixson from investment funds managed by private equity firm The Carlyle Group and Lehman Brothers.

Firth Rixson, headquartered in East Hartford, Conn., and Sheffield, England, supplies products to aerospace and industrial customers.

Google / Northeastern U

University sues, cites search patent

Boston's Northeastern University sued Google over a patented system for searching databases with networked computers and indexing results.

Northeastern, one of the largest private universities in the U.S., also asked for unspecified cash compensation for past infringement.

It owns the patent and licenses the technology to closely held Jarg, a software company specializing in high-performance search technology.

Jarg, based in Waltham, Mass., joined the university in the lawsuit.

Compiled from Times staff, Detroit Free Press, Reuters and Bloomberg News