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This large chemical works, once the largest in the World, was in the north of Glasgow (229 Castle Street). It started by producing bleaching chemicals for cloth. The works was built on the north bank of the Forth and Clyde Canal / Monkland Canal Cut of Junction (the link between the canals). It was most famous for it's huge chimney dating from 1842, the 'St Rollox Stalk', which was 435.5 ft high. Feeding the works gave rise to the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway and its Glasgow (Townhead) terminus, the first passenger station in Glasgow.

It was founded by Charles Tennant, William Couper, Alexander Dunlop, James Knox and Charles Mackintosh (Tennant, Knox & Co later Charles Tennant & Co Ltd) in 1799 to produce bleaching liquor and powder (calcium hypochlorite). In addition to chemicals, production required considerable quantities of coal which is why the works was built by the canal.

A branch of the canal ran into the works. To the east was the oldest part of the works and to the west the newer part. This branch canal was filled in when the works was rebuilt.

Charles Tennant owned a house by the works, on the east side of Castle Street and the canal. The site later became the Glasgow Iron Works.

The Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway opened in 1831, with sidings serving the works (by reversal from the St Rollox Depot goods terminus).

The layout had (working from west to east);
- the works' coal depot
- (north to south) muriatic (hydrochloric) acid, sulphuric acid depts, rail served acid loading bay
- (N to S) vitroil, bleaching power, chlorine stills depts
- manganese section and the large alkali dept with the chimney to the north and soap department to the south.

Waste material was dumped to the north in the Pinkston Bog. This was served by a line which passed through a low tunnel under the original Garnkirk line.

Much of the material dumped was in the area later cut through by the Buchanan Street Extension (Caledonian Railway) (of 1849). This waste railway was extended over the Buchanan Street line to reach the furthest north part of the dump. (At its north end there was a link, crossing the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway's Cowlairs Incline to reach its Pinkston Mineral Yard - providing the chemical works with a connection to a second railway company.) The material dumped in the bog was to contaminate both the Pinkston Burn and the St Enoch Burn to the extent that material from the latter stopped vessels berthing on the Clyde.

In 1825 the St. Rollox Shipping Co. was formed to carry the raw materials and products of the works.

With the introduction of the Le Blanc soda process the works also manufactured of hydrochloric acid. There was an increase in production of waste as the works expanded.

To the north over the Garnkirk railway was the soda crystal house, a later addition to the works. A further line crossed here between the portions of the works, passing over both the Garnkirk line and directly over the tunnel.

Sir Charles Tennant, grandson of the original Charles Tennant, was involved in many industries including the Steel Company of Scotland at the Hallside Steel Works. Under him, in 1890 Charles Tennant & Co Ltd was a founder member of the United Alkali Co Ltd. In 1926 it became part of Imperial Chemical Industries Limited.

After 1892, roughly around 1900, the works largely produced sulphuric acid, in the southern portion of the site. The soda works closed.

The works closed in 1964, leading to the westernmost part of the former Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway also closing, and was demolished immediately afterwards. Afterwards the M8 motorway (following the course of the former Monkland Canal) and other roads were taken through the site.

After closure of the works and railways the area was redeveloped. The land between the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway (to the south) and the Buchanan Street approach (to the north) was the location of the Pinkston high flats. This had been a chemical dump and an extension of the works was built here. Above the Buchanan Street Tunnel, also the site of a dump, was Sighthill Park (and its modern stone circle). North of the Buchanan Street approach was a another dump upon which the Fountainwell flats and houses were developed. The former railways were landscaped.

The area to the north of the former works is being redeveloped again. It is part of the Sighthill Transformational Regeneration Area.

The works is remembered by a plaque near the site and Charles Tennant by Charles Street running east from Castle Street along with Glenconner Park.

The company Charles Tennant & Co Ltd , part of Tennants Distribution Ltd itself owned by Tennants Consolidated Ltd, exists today, based in Blantyre.

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