diff --git a/benchmarks/clustering/options/hcal_clustering.py b/benchmarks/clustering/options/hcal_clustering.py
index bdd8a2af679be9cb192ff4103f0e84714b839cd6..28df2ac64c167c9804d63de261163011c1939b6b 100644
--- a/benchmarks/clustering/options/hcal_clustering.py
+++ b/benchmarks/clustering/options/hcal_clustering.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ from Configurables import Jug__Reco__CrystalEndcapsReco as CrystalEndcapsReco
 from Configurables import Jug__Reco__EMCalReconstruction as EMCalReconstruction
 # from Configurables import Jug__Reco__HCalReconstruction as HCalReconstruction
 from Configurables import Jug__Reco__EcalTungstenSamplingReco as HCalReconstruction
+from Configurables import Jug__Reco__CalorimeterHitsMerger as CalorimeterHitsMerger
 
 # from Configurables import Jug__Reco__SimpleClustering as SimpleClustering
 from Configurables import Jug__Reco__TopologicalCellCluster as TopoCluster
@@ -65,8 +66,8 @@ hcaldigi = HadCalorimeterDigi("hcal_barrel_digi",
          outputHitCollection="RawHcalBarrelHits",
          inputEnergyUnit=units.GeV,
          inputTimeUnit=units.ns,
-         energyResolutions=[0.07, 0., 0.],
-         dynamicRangeADC=2.*units.GeV,
+         energyResolutions=[0.0, 0., 0.],
+         dynamicRangeADC=50.*units.MeV,
          capacityADC=32768,
          pedestalMean=400,
          pedestalSigma=10,
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ hcaldigi = HadCalorimeterDigi("hcal_barrel_digi",
 hcal_reco = HCalReconstruction("hcal_reco",
         inputHitCollection="RawHcalBarrelHits",
         outputHitCollection="RecHcalBarrelHits",
-        dynamicRangeADC=2.*units.GeV,
+        dynamicRangeADC=50.*units.MeV,
         capacityADC=32768,
         pedestalMean=400,
         pedestalSigma=10,
@@ -86,24 +87,13 @@ hcal_reco = HCalReconstruction("hcal_reco",
         OutputLevel=DEBUG)
 
 #clusters
-
-#hcal_barrel_cluster = TopoCluster("hcal_barrel_cluster",
-#        inputHitCollection="RecHcalBarrelHits",
-#        outputClusterCollection="HcalBarrelClusters",
-#        adjLayerDiff=2,
-#        localRanges=[20.*units.mm, 20.*units.mm],    # local x, y for hits at the same layer
-#        adjLayerRanges=[0.02, 0.02],                 # eta, phi for different layers, the same sector
-#        adjSectorDist=5.*units.cm,                   # different sector
-#        minClusterCenterEdep=10.*units.MeV,
-#        readoutClass="HcalBarrelHits",               # readout class name to get layer/sector id
-#        layerField="layer",
-#        sectorField="module",
-#        OutputLevel=DEBUG
-#        )
-
+xymerger = CalorimeterHitsMerger("hcal_xy_merger",                             
+          fields=["layer", "slice"],
+          inputHitCollection="RecHcalBarrelHits",
+          outputHitCollection="RecHcalBarrelHitsXY")
 
 hcal_barrel_cluster = IslandCluster("hcal_barrel_cluster", 
-        inputHitCollection="RecHcalBarrelHits", 
+        inputHitCollection="RecHcalBarrelHitsXY", 
         outputClusterCollection="HcalBarrelClusters",
         minClusterCenterEdep=30*units.MeV, 
         groupRange=2.0,
@@ -125,7 +115,8 @@ out.outputCommands = ["keep *"]
 ApplicationMgr(
     TopAlg = [podioinput, copier, calcopier,
               hcaldigi,
-              hcal_reco,  
+              hcal_reco,
+              xymerger,
               hcal_barrel_cluster,
               hcal_barrel_clusterreco,
               out],