Trina Solar plans layoff

Trina Solar, the world's fourth-largest solar panel maker by output, is planning a major layoff, after anti-dumping probes in the United States and in the eurozone hampered sales.

The Chinese company didn't provide exact numbers for the layoff. Its second-quarter financial statement showed it has 14,386 employees.

The 21st Century Business Herald reported on Sept 13 that 30 percent of the company's employees will be let go.

The company's layoff plans underline the hardship in the Chinese solar sector. Trina's bigger rivals Suntech Power and LDK Solar cut staff recently.

The newspaper report said that one-third of China's solar manufacturers has either cut or stopped production.

The European Union started an anti-dumping investigation on Chinese solar products on Sept 6. In 2011, China exported $20.4 billion worth of solar products. China's solar industry employs over 500,000 people.