ORLANDO, Fla. — More than 1,700 supply chain executives from retailers and manufacturers — a 35% increase over last year's attendance — flocked to the Gaylord Palms Resort here earlier this month to attend U Connect, a conference on standard technologies such as bar codes, data synchronization, e-commerce and RFID/EPC. This year the conference's traditional sponsor, GS1 US, Lawrenceville, N.J., was joined by the Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Solutions (VICS) association. The conference featured its usual wide array of sessions. Attendees were able to unwind at the end of the third and fourth day at receptions held in the exhibition hall.