Hospitality Logistics International used low-code automation to unify systems and fuel M&A growth and efficiency

About

Hospitality Logistics International (HLI) is the trusted logistics partner behind some of the world’s best-known hotel brands. As a leader in turnkey FF&E (furniture, fixtures, and equipment) logistics, HLI manages every stage of delivery for large-scale hospitality projects from freight and warehousing to on-site installation. 

The company is known for its “no-excuses” mindset and meticulous communication. Whether it’s a boutique renovation or a 1,000-room new build, HLI’s success depends on precision, coordination, and timing. 

Challenge

As HLI grew both organically and through acquisitions, its technology environment became increasingly complex. Each business unit and acquired entity came with its own processes and tools, creating a mix of modern cloud applications and legacy on-premise systems that struggled to share data. 

Some platforms offered robust REST APIs. Others, including transportation and warehouse systems, depended on older SOAP integrations or daily flat-file transfers. Accounting and ERP processes were managed through a basic integration tool inside the transportation platform, with no middleware to give the team a unified view of its data. 

Working with new clients, particularly large hotel chains, became a slow, resource-intensive process because HLI couldn’t plug them directly into its system to automate processes like receiving purchase orders from their customers. Each new connection required custom workarounds and manual formatting changes just to get data flowing correctly. These limitations delayed implementations, sometimes taking months before new clients were fully integrated.

The same challenges surfaced during acquisitions. Each newly acquired business brought its own systems and data formats, requiring months of manual effort to connect and reconcile information before it could flow consistently across the organization. That lag slowed down growth initiatives and limited HLI’s ability to scale efficiently.

The current setup had worked when the company was smaller. But as data volumes grew, so did the friction. Implementing NetSuite for accounting exposed a larger issue: HLI needed a way to ensure that data from legacy systems flowed reliably into NetSuite, giving the business accurate, trustworthy information. With additional acquisitions on the horizon, the goal was a flexible system integration platform ready for future M&A (merger and acquisition) activity, capable of evolving seamlessly with the business.

Solution

For a company known for flawless execution, slowing down was not an option. As client expectations rose and internal systems strained under growth, HLI knew it needed a better way to connect its business. 

HLI partnered with Celigo and NuageSync to design a modern integration framework that could automate key workflows, connect every application, and scale easily. Using NetSuite as the financial anchor and Celigo’s low-code platform as the integration layer, HLI began rebuilding its internal operations for long-term growth and reliability.

“Working with NuageSync and Celigo has been highly collaborative. They are always proactively providing solutions to any arising problems. My experience has been extremely positive.”

— Shannon Mari, Controller, Hospitality Logistics International

Downtime wasn’t an option. Every delay could ripple through freight schedules, warehouse operations, and on-site installations. HLI needed integrations that were not just functional but resilient, meaning they are able to handle exceptions, maintain uptime, and adapt as the company evolved.

With NuageSync leading implementation, Celigo became what the HLI team calls their “ultimate translator”, connecting REST, SOAP, flat-file, and custom endpoints into a single, cohesive system.

“Celigo gave us the ability to be flexible. We don’t have to do things one way. We have this ultimate translator now that says, ‘What do you have to work with? We can handle that.’”

— Scott Thomson, Technology Solutions Officer, Hospitality Logistics International

What began as a handful of NetSuite connections quickly expanded as the team identified new opportunities for automation. Today, Celigo supports dozens of workflows across accounting, logistics, and operations that are all managed from one unified platform. 

Results

HLI achieved measurable time savings, stronger team ownership, and a scalable foundation for continued growth.

• Previously manual accounting workflows, performed regularly as part of HLI’s daily financial operations, now take just 30 minutes instead of six hours—a 92% efficiency gain.
• Each morning, the finance team glances at Celigo’s dashboard to identify data quality issues. A quick 5-minute ritual that replaces hours of spreadsheet cleanup.
• Integration between HLI’s CRM and logistics and supply chain management platform eliminated duplicate data entry for project opportunities. 
• Celigo’s API Builder allows purchase orders from major hotel chains to flow directly into their operating system, and POs are filtered and formatted and loaded automatically into their ERP system.
• HLI went from needing daily technical support to 95% self-sufficiency, with intuitive tools accessible even to non-technical users.

Following the acquisition and integration of Audit Logistics, HLI will extend the same automation and NetSuite integration strategy to newly acquired entities, which ensures future M&As can integrate smoothly and quickly into their unified digital ecosystem.

“Celigo gives us a foundation we can build on. Whether it’s a new customer, a new system, or an acquisition, we don’t have to start from scratch—we already have the infrastructure in place to connect anything.”

— Scott Thomson, Technology Solutions Officer, Hospitality Logistics International